What Is The Reason For Weight Gain And Low Potassium When Having Severe Edema?
Question: My mother has been in ER with severe edema - gained 11 pounds in week - blood pressure is 180/100 and has very low potassium - I am out of town and am wondering what this could be - they are running loads of tests but no answers yet.
Brief Answer:
Follows.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Madam,
Thank you for posting your query on XXXXXXX
Well looking into the query I will like to say that it will be very difficult to give you the exact diagnosis but the probability is that hypertension has lead to congestive heart failure which is why there is water retention and excess weight gain along with edema .
Low potassium can be due to drugs or can be due to metabolic abnormalities due to water retention leading to dilution .
It is mandatory to perform all the tests as diagnosis is necessary so that appropriate treatment can be started .
Take care.
Dr. Shruti
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar