title: Potassium supplementation in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias.
abstract: Potassium has a fundamental role in the regulation of the action potential in both myocardial and specialized cardiac cells. The frequency and diversity of ventricular arrhythmia associated with hypokalaemia suggests that potassium also plays a crucial part in the genesis of many cardiac arrhythmias. In addition, the presence of potassium in adequate amounts is required for the effective action of many antiarrhythmic agents. While more information on the mechanism of ventricular arrhythmias in the human is required, as well as observing local biochemical status in the myocardium, it would appear that maintaining the serum potassium towards the upper limit of the normal range offers a logical adjunct to the drug treatment of ventricular arrhythmias.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011188:Potassium