Catecholamines, potassium, and beta-blockade
Valladares, B.K.; Lemberg, L.
Heart and Lung the Journal of Critical Care 15(1): 105-107
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0147-9563 PMID: 3632962 Document Number: 276864
Stress-induced hypokalemia represents a transient risk factor for malignant arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease. The adrenergic nervous system serves as a major control system for the transport of potassium across the cell membrane. Nonselective beta-blockade presents epinephrine-mediated hypokalemia. This helps explain a possible mechanism for the significant improvement in morbidity and mortality rates of patients taking long-term propranolol therapy in the Beta Blocker Heart Attack Trial report.