What can hypokalemia lead to regarding arrhythmias?

Hypokalemia, which is a condition characterized by low levels of potassium in the blood, has significant effects on cardiac function and can lead to various arrhythmias. The correct choice indicates that hypokalemia can result in both ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

Potassium plays a critical role in the electrical activity of the heart. It is essential for the maintenance of the resting membrane potential and the repolarization phase of action potentials in cardiac myocytes. When potassium levels are low, it disrupts these processes, leading to abnormalities in cardiac electrical activity.

Specifically, hypokalemia can increase the excitability of cardiac tissues and prolong the refractory period, which can disturb the normal rhythm and result in tachyarrhythmias like ventricular tachycardia. Furthermore, the destabilization of the cardiac electrical system can lead to chaotic and life-threatening rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation, which is characterized by rapid and erratic electrical impulses that result in ineffective pumping of blood.

While other arrhythmias are associated with various factors, the direct link between low potassium levels and the risk of serious conditions such as ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation is well established in clinical practice.