Medication Side Effects
In addition to the effects of diuretics on blood potassium levels, hypokalemia can be a side effect in other kinds of medications. Large doses of antibiotics, like ampicillin, penicillin, nafcillin, and carbenicillin can increase renal potassium excretion. In other words, you will lose more potassium through urine while on such antibiotics. Furthermore, the same effect is possible in aminoglycoside therapy and when taking amphotericin B.
Some drugs, such as albuterol for asthma, terbutaline, and insulin can increase potassium uptake in the cells, removing it from the blood at an accelerated pace, and that may cause hypokalemia as well. However, this is often temporary, and the symptoms of mild hypokalemia should fade. The only time this can be dangerous is when another condition is causing potassium levels to fall.
