Causes of hypokalemia

Shift of potassium to the intracellular compartment

Acute alkalosis

Following correction of metabolic acidosis (e.g., diabetic acidosis)

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis

Insulin administration

Administration of beta 2-agonists

Conditions of catecholamine excess

• Cardiac surgery
• Myocardial infarction
• Delerium tremens

Barbiturate intoxication

Vitamin B12 therapy

Thyrotoxicosis (rare)

Inadequate potassium intake (uncommon because of renal conservation of potassium)

Starvation

Postoperative state without replenishment

Gastrointestinal potassium loss

Diarrhea

Laxative abuse

Villous adenoma of rectum

Vomiting

Fistulas

Renal potassium loss (renal cause of hypokalemia should be sought if the urinary loss of potassium exceeds 20mEq/day)

Osmotic diuresis

Magnesium depletion

Acute leukemia

Antimicrobial agents (such as carbenicillin, gentamicin, amphotericin B)

Cisplatin administration

Renal conditions with metabolic acidosis

• Distal renal tubular acidosis
• Proximal renal tubular acidosis
• Ureterosigmoidostomy
• Administration of acetazolamide

Conditions with metabolic acidosis

• Cushing's syndrome
• Exogenous corticosteriod administration
• Primary aldosteronism
• Licorice usage
• Renovascular hypertension
• Malignant hypertension
• Renin-producing renal tumor
• Diuretics (thiazides, furosemide)
• Liddle's sydrome
• Bartter's sydrome

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Source: the portable internist by Anthony J. Zollo Jr., MD (1995), p. 328-329.