Coronary Atherosclerotic Heart Disease And Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia is one of the most commonly encountered fluid and electrolyte abnormalities in clinical medicine, which is related to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Many cardiovascular disorders and drugs can aggravate hypokalemia. Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease which is complicated with hypokalemia may cause severe clinical consequence. In patients with acute myocardial infarction, hypokalemia which increases mortality may lead to malignant cardiac arrhythmias and even sudden cardiac death. If we could further understand the latent pathophysiological mechanisms underlying hypokalemia in coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and take some measures to control the optimal serum potassium level in cardiovascular patients,it might be guided and meaningful in the therapies of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.The article reviews the related possible mechanisms of hypokalemia in coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and concludes the associated advanced therapies,which may give us new insight into the diagnosis and treatment of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.