Treatments in Conventional Medicine and Their Limitations
Conventional medicine focuses on supplementing deficient potassium via medication or injection. Under the diagnosis of a Korean Medicine doctor, BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic actively recommends or utilizes these electrolyte correction therapies.
- Oral Potassium: Taking Potassium Chloride (KCl) supplements to raise levels.
- Intravenous Injection: Careful infusion via a central venous catheter is required if levels are very low (<2.5 mM) or there is a risk of cardiac arrest.
- Correcting Causes: Stopping diuretics, adding potassium-sparing diuretics, or supplementing magnesium if deficient.
[Limitations]
Oral potassium supplements often cause severe gastrointestinal distress (heartburn, vomiting), making compliance difficult.
Furthermore, supplementing potassium without resolving root causes like diarrhea or malabsorption is like "pouring water into a leaking bucket"—levels fail to rise or recurrence is frequent.
Specifically, if magnesium deficiency accompanies it, "refractory hypokalemia" may occur, which cannot be corrected by potassium alone.
BM's Integrative Solution: Increasing Absorption and Stabilizing the Heart
BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic goes beyond simple potassium supplementation. We improve gastrointestinal absorption to retain potassium and stabilize the heart sensitized by electrolyte imbalance.
- Strengthening Spleen to Stop Diarrhea (健脾止瀉): We use Banha-sasim-tang or Samryeongbaekchul-san to stop chronic diarrhea and restore the gut's ability to absorb electrolytes, preventing potassium loss.
- Tranquilizing the Heart (安心定悸): We use Gyejigayonggolmoryeo-tang or Jagamcho-tang to stabilize irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) caused by potassium deficiency.
- Relaxing Muscles and Nourishing Blood (柔筋養血): For severe muscle cramps, we use herbs like Chaenomeles (Mogwa) and Peony Root (Jakyak) to relax muscle tension and improve blood flow. (Note: Since excessive Licorice can induce hypokalemia, we strictly control the dosage of Licorice for safety.)
Evidence-Based Korean Medicine (Scientific Evidence)
Studies prove that Korean Medicine treatments are effective in alleviating arrhythmias, preventing electrolyte loss from diarrhea, and regulating ion channels.
- Arrhythmia and Ion Channel Regulation by Shensong yangxin Capsule: It has been proven that Shensong yangxin capsule regulates multiple ion channels in the heart, including potassium channels, effectively inhibiting arrhythmias such as premature ventricular contractions and atrial fibrillation induced by electrolyte imbalances.
- Lu X, Wang T, Hou B, et al. Shensong yangxin, a multi-functional traditional Chinese medicine for arrhythmia: A review of components, pharmacological mechanisms, and clinical applications. Heliyon. 2024;10(16):e35560. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35560
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- Improvement of Severe Diarrhea and Electrolyte Conservation by Banha-sasim-tang: Research results indicate that Banha-sasim-tang inhibits severe diarrhea induced by anticancer drugs (like Irinotecan), preventing excessive loss of water and electrolytes like potassium, and protecting the intestinal mucosa.
- Urushiyama H, Jo T, Yasunaga H, et al. Effect of Hangeshashin-To (Japanese Herbal Medicine TJ-14) on tolerability of irinotecan: Propensity score and instrumental variable analyses. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2018;7(9):246. doi:10.3390/jcm7090246
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- Cardiovascular Protection and Ion Channel Regulation by Ginseng: A review study reports that Ginseng components (Ginsenosides) regulate vascular tone, modulate potassium and calcium ion channels to stabilize myocardial electrical activity, and protect the heart from ischemic injury.
- Kim JH. Cardiovascular Diseases and Panax ginseng: A Review on Molecular Mechanisms and Medical Applications. Journal of Ginseng Research. 2012;36(1):16-26. doi:10.5142/jgr.2012.36.1.16
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