Abstract
A 33-year-old female patient admitted to the ICU with ascending muscle weakness leading to acute hypercapneic respiratory failure. She gave a 10-day history of severe diarrhea and vomiting. Laboratory work up revealed severe hypokalemia, mixed metabolic and respiratory acidosis, and renal impairment. Continuous potassium replacement produced rapid and complete recovery from quadriplegia and respiratory failure without requirement for mechanical ventilation.
MeSH terms
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Acidosis, Respiratory / physiopathology
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Adrenergic beta-Agonists / therapeutic use
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Adult
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Albuterol / therapeutic use
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Asthma / drug therapy
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Blood Gas Analysis
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Electrocardiography / drug effects
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Female
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Guillain-Barre Syndrome / diagnosis*
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Humans
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Hypokalemia / complications*
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Hypokalemia / diagnosis
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Hypokalemia / drug therapy
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Muscle Weakness / drug therapy
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Paralysis / diagnosis
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Paralysis / drug therapy
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Paralysis / etiology*
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Potassium / therapeutic use
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Quadriplegia / diagnosis
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Quadriplegia / drug therapy
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Quadriplegia / etiology
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Respiratory Insufficiency / etiology*
Substances
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Adrenergic beta-Agonists
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Albuterol
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Potassium