The relationship between potassium and heart diseases

Abstract

Potassium plays an important role in cell metabolism and membrane excitability and imbalances in its concentration are important because of ensuing life-threatening conditions. Potassium balance may be disturbed by both the neurohormonal mechanisms in cardiovascular diseases and the drugs used in these diseases. In particular, complications such as malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death are of great concern in potassium instability. This article reviews current knowledge on the drugs that affect potassium balance and the relationship between the potassium ion and cardiac diseases.