Hipokalemia, hipovolemia y repercusión electrocardiográfica secundarias a ingesta prolongada de furosemida: Caso clínico

<3.5 mEq/l) is a potentially seriousadverse effect of diuretic ingestion. We report a 27 year-old woman admitted with muscleweakness, a serum potassium of 2.0 mEq/1, metabolic alkalosis and EKG abnormalitiessimulating cardiac ischemia, that reverted with potassium chloride administration. Sheadmitted high dose furosemide self-medication for edema. Glomerular filtration rate, tubularsodium reabsortion, potassium secretion, the renin-aldosterone system, total body waterdistribution and capillary permeability, were studied sequentially until 90 days after heradmission. There was hyperactivity of the renin-aldosterone axis, reduction in extracellularand intracellular volumes, normal capillary permeability and high sodium tubularreabsorption, probably explained by a “rebound” salt retention associated with her decreasedextracellular volume (Rev Med Chile 2007; 135: 1456-62).(