title: Severe hypokalemia due to combination use of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate for diabetics with infection: a case report.
abstract: The combination use of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate can be applied to hypersensitivity. Severe hypokalemia is a usual complication of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate therapy, which occurs frequently with therapeutic use. Fatal cases, accidental and intentional, occur frequently in forensic practice. The current case report presented a 43-year-old man with diabetes mellitus with infection, to whom dexamethasone and calcium gluconate were administered in the private clinic. With the development of such clinical symptoms of severe hypokalemia as quadriplegia, he was confirmed to have severe hypokalemia through a biochemical test before dying of arrhythmia. And also it presented pathophysiologic mechanism underlying severe hypokalemia as well as suggestions for clinical practice regarding combination use of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate.
authors.forename: Shun-qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhi-qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Kai-fei
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jian-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ning-guo
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dong-hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Zheng-dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yi-jiu
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002125:Calcium Gluconate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D002125:Calcium Gluconate