Potassium is the chemical element at number 19 in the periodic table, symbol K.
Potassium is excreted in urine (90%) and through the gastrointestinal tract (10%).
In the gastrointestinal tract there is passive absorption of potassium in the proximal small bowel. Potassium is secreted (in exchange for sodium) in the colon. A gastric aspirate contains 10-15 mmol/l of potassium.
Disturbances in potassium regulation, and resultant changes in serum potassium concentration, may alter membrane excitability which affects the functions of nerve, muscle, and cardiac muscles (2).
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