Influence of chronic diuretic therapy on serum, lymphocyte and erythrocyte potassium, magnesium and calcium concentrations.
Serum, lymphocyte and erythrocyte potassium, magnesium and calcium concentrations were measured in 31 patients with congestive cardiac failure and 14 patients with mild noncomplicated hypertension, who had been receiving either furosemide or chlorothiazide (with or without potassium supplementation) or a combination of hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride for more than 6 months. Lymphocyte potassium concentrations (pmol/100 cells +/- SE) were as follows: controls 18.1 +/- 1.5, furosemide 14.1 +/- 0.9 (p less than 0.001), furosemide + potassium 12.3 +/- 0.7 (p less than 0.001), chlorothiazide 13.1 +/- 1.0 (p less than 0.001) and hydrochlorothiazide + amiloride 18.6 +/- 0.7 (p = NS). There was a statistically significant relationship between the number of months the patients had been on diuretics and their lymphocyte potassium concentrations. Serum electrolytes, apart from the group receiving chlorothiazide who showed a significant fall in serum K, were unchanged.
Abraham
A S
AS
Department of Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Meshulam
Z
Z
Rosenmann
D
D
Eylath
U
U
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002412:Cations / Q000097:blood*; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood
D002412:Cations; D004232:Diuretics; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium