Nonarrhythmogenicity of Diuretic-Induced Hypokalemia

Abstract

• Twenty patients aged 33 to 69 years with uncomplicated hypertension, no heart disease, and normal stress test results underwent ambulatory ECG monitoring a month after receiving placebo and two and four weeks after hydrochlo[ill]othiazide therapy. Serum potassium level (±SEM) averaged [ill]4±0.09 mEq/L after the placebo trial and 3.4±0.07 and [ill]0±0.06 mEq/L after two and four weeks of therapy, respectively. Sixteen patients had no arrhythmias. Four patients had [ill]29±140 premature ventricular beats (PVBs) while receiving [ill]lacebo and 341±203 and 315±158 PVBs per 24 hours after [ill]wo and four weeks of therapy, respectively. Thus, patients [ill]ith uncomplicated hypertension and no arrhythmias before [ill]luretic therapy did not experience arrhythmias as a result of [ill]iuretic-induced hypokalemia of one month's duration. Patients with low-grade ventricular ectopy (VE) before therapy [ill]not progress to higher grades of VE after diuretic treatment [ill]four weeks. Arch Intern Med 1984;144:2171-2176)