[Hypokalemic myopathy. Our experience at an intensive care unit]

Disturbances of potassium homeostasis are frequently iatrogenic: some drugs, especially diuretics, are sometimes taken without proper electrolyte control and replacement; this can lead to more or less severe hypokalemic states. After some physiopathologic remarks, the Authors report their experience with four patients admitted for severe hypokalemia; the clinical picture was always quite typical: severe muscle weakness (even quadriparesis), cardiac rhythm abnormalities, metabolic alkalosis. A reliable diagnostic tool is muscle biopsy that shows aspects of vacuolar myopathy.