what is the relationship of intracellular potassium levels to extracellular potassium levels?
The ratio of intracellular to extracellular potassium determines neuromuscular and cardiovascular excitability, which is why serum potassium is normally regulated within a narrow range of 3.5 to 5.0 mmol/L. Dietary K+ intake is highly variable, ranging from as low as 40 mmol/day to more than 100 mmol/day.
Physiology of Potassium Handling. Potassium (K+) is the most abundant cation in the body. About 90% of total body potassium is intracellular and 10% is in extracellular fluid, of which less than 1% is composed of plasma.
Hyperkalemia can result from increased potassium intake, decreased potassium excretion, or a shift of potassium from the intracellular to the extracellular space. The most common causes involve decreased excretion. Alone, excessive intake or an extracellular shift is distinctly uncommon.