{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T04:21:44Z","timestamp":1774326104978,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"6218","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[1980,3,29]],"date-time":"1980-03-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":323136000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/company\/legal-information\/terms-conditions\/legal-information\/tdm-licencepolicy"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Br Med J"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1980,3,29]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Published data have been used to define the characteristics of the fall in serum potassium concentration after taking diuretics and the efficacy of the various treatments given to prevent or correct it. The average fall is less after the usual doses of frusemide (about 0.3 mmol\/l) than after the usual doses of thiazides (about 0.6 mmol\/l) and is little influenced by the dose or duration of treatment. The fall with a given drug is the same in heart failure and hypertension, but the initial serum potassium concentration is higher in heart failure, so that the final value is lower in hypertension. In standard doses potassium supplements are less effective than potassium-retaining diuretics in correcting the hypokalaemia. The relation between the average serum potassium value and the frequency of low values (hypokalaemia) is such that very low values after taking diuretics are unusual in patients with hypertension or heart failure. Hypokalaemia would almost disappear as an important complication of diuretic treatment if it was defined as a value less than 3.0 mmol\/l rather than as a value less than 3.5 mmol\/l.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.280.6218.905","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,4,2]],"date-time":"2009-04-02T18:32:30Z","timestamp":1238697150000},"page":"905-908","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":198,"title":["Hypokalaemia and diuretics: an analysis of publications."],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"280","author":[{"given":"D B","family":"Morgan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"C","family":"Davidson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1980,3,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"622","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.2.6036.622","article-title":"Time course of changes in concentration of some plasma components after frusemide","volume":"ii:","author":"O'Haug, T.","year":"1976","unstructured":"O'Haug T. Time course of changes in concentration of some plasma components after frusemide. Br MedJ 1976;ii:622.","journal-title":"Br MedJ"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"409","article-title":"Neuropsychiatric complications following chlorothiazide therapy in patients with hepatic cirrhosis; possible relation to hypokalaemia","volume":"18","author":"Read, A.E.; Laidlaw, J.; Haslam, R.M.; Sherlock, S.","year":"1959","unstructured":"Read AE, Laidlaw J, Haslam RM, Sherlock S. Neuropsychiatric complications following chlorothiazide therapy in patients with hepatic cirrhosis; possible relation to hypokalaemia. Clin Sci 1959;18:409-23.","journal-title":"Clin Sci"},{"key":"ref_3","article-title":"Potassium loss and potassium replacement during long-term diuretic treatment in hypertension","volume-title":"therapy-principles and practice","author":"Bartorelli, C.; Argano, N.; Lecnetti, G.","year":"1966","unstructured":"Bartorelli C, Argano N, Lecnetti G. Potassium loss and potassium replacement during long-term diuretic treatment in hypertension. In: Gross F, ed. Antihypertensive therapy-principles and practice. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1966."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"316","article-title":"King PC, Read PR, Ward DM. Total body potassium in long-term frusemide therapy: is potassium supplementation necessary?","volume":"ii:","author":"HJ, I.Dargie; K, Boddy; AC, Kennedy","year":"1974","unstructured":"I Dargie HJ, Boddy K, Kennedy AC, King PC, Read PR, Ward DM. Total body potassium in long-term frusemide therapy: is potassium supplementation necessary? Br Med J 1974;ii:316-9.","journal-title":"Br Med J"},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"249","article-title":"of benzothiazide drug effects on hypertension and selected blood chemistries","volume":"7","author":"E, Jr, Gosfield; J, Gillenwater","year":"1965","unstructured":"Gosfield E Jr, Gillenwater J. Six month double-blind study of benzothiazide drug effects on hypertension and selected blood chemistries. Curr Ther Res 1965;7:249-56.","journal-title":"Curr Ther Res"},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"759","article-title":"Total body and serum potassium during prolonged thiazide therapy for essential hypertension","volume":"i:","author":"Wilkinson, P.R.; Issler, H.; Hesp, R.; Raftery, E.B.","year":"1975","unstructured":"Wilkinson PR, Issler H, Hesp R, Raftery EB. Total body and serum potassium during prolonged thiazide therapy for essential hypertension. Lancet 1975;i:759-62.","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00561137","article-title":"Clinical efficacy of fixed combinations of saluretic agents and potassium in sustained release form for the treatment of arterial hypertension","volume":"4","author":"Jaattela, A.","year":"1972","unstructured":"Jaattela A. Clinical efficacy of fixed combinations of saluretic agents and potassium in sustained release form for the treatment of arterial hypertension. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1972;4:146-9.","journal-title":"Eur J Clin Pharmacol"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"271","article-title":"Evaluation of beta blockade bendrofluazide and prazosin in severe hypertension","volume":"i:","author":"Marshall, A.J.; Barritt, D.W.; Pocock, J.; Heaton, S.T.","year":"1977","unstructured":"Marshall AJ, Barritt DW, Pocock J, Heaton ST. Evaluation of beta blockade bendrofluazide and prazosin in severe hypertension. Lancet 1977;i:271-4.","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"1144","article-title":"Potassium supplementation of thiazide therapy","volume":"ii:","author":"I Hesp R, Wilkinson PR","year":"1976","unstructured":"I Hesp R, Wilkinson PR. Potassium supplementation of thiazide therapy. 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