title: Non-Cardiac Symptoms of Moderate to Severe Hypokalemia in a Patient with a Syncardia™ Total Artificial Heart.
abstract: The Syncardia™ total artificial heart (TAH) is an option for patients as a bridge to transplant in those who are not candidates for left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) due to right ventricular failure. Postoperative course is highly dependent on volume status and aggressive diuresis is often necessary. One complication from aggressive diuresis is hypokalemia; however, in these patients we tolerate a lower potassium level because cardiac arrhythmias are not a concern.  However, in two separate instances non-cardiac symptoms related to severe hypokalemia occurred. These symptoms included nystagmus in one patient and agitation, tremors, and having an "out-of-body" experience in the other patient. Both these patients had resolution of symptoms with potassium replacement.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghodsizad
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pae
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singbartl
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeriouh
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Arjang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruhparwar
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loebe
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: G Sadat Hoesseini
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Khorrami
authors.affiliation: INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Koerner
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brehm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium