Question

An 85 year old woman, Betsy, is hospitalized due to cardiac issues. Somehow, her medical orders got confused with someone else’s, and Betsy was given an IV containing a K+ enhanced fluid meant for another patient that was taking potassium-wasting diuretics (drugs that cause excessive loss of potassium from the body in urine). Betsy’s potassium levels are normal before the IV is administered.

What will happen to Betsy’s resting membrane potentials?

Answer 1

The concentration gradient of K+ would increase. This would give a great driving force for the higher concentration of the K+. Once absorbed in the blood, it would diffuse through the cell's membrane. Since K+ is an ion, it would increase the membrane potential of the cell.