The nurse is teaching a client started on a potassium wasting diuretic and a potassium supplement the symptoms of too much or too little potassium. Indicate below if the symptoms are for hyper or hypokalemia.

Rationale: • Numbness in extremities: Elevated potassium levels can impair normal nerve conduction, leading to paresthesia or numbness, particularly in the hands and feet. Hyperkalemia affects the excitability of neurons, which manifests as tingling or numbness. Recognizing these symptoms early is critical to prevent cardiac complications. • Muscle cramps: Low potassium reduces muscle cell excitability and can cause involuntary contractions or cramps. This occurs because potassium is essential for normal muscle repolarization and function. Identifying muscle cramps in a client on a potassium-wasting diuretic can prompt assessment and supplementation. • Decreased reflexes: Hypokalemia can cause neuromuscular slowing, resulting in diminished or absent deep tendon reflexes. This is due to impaired action potential generation in muscle fibers. Monitoring reflexes helps assess severity and guide potassium replacement therapy. • Peaked T-waves on EKG: Hyperkalemia affects cardiac conduction and repolarization, producing characteristic EKG changes such as peaked T-waves. These changes are early indicators of elevated potassium and help prevent life-threatening arrhythmias if treated promptly. • Severe fatigue: Potassium deficiency impairs cellular function, including muscle contraction and nerve signaling, which can manifest as generalized fatigue and weakness. Severe fatigue is a common systemic symptom of hypokalemia, particularly in clients taking diuretics that increase potassium loss.