Effects of systemic hypoxemia and catecholamines on arterial potassium ion concentrations before and after -adrenergic blockade

Arterial blood potassium concentrations were measured in dogs before, during and following adrenaline and noradrenaline infusion and systemic hypoxemia. Adrenaline infusion produced marked but transient hyperkalemia that was followed by significant hypokalemia. Systematic hypoxemia resulted in a large increase in the arterial blood concentration of potassium that was not followed by hypokalemia. Noradrenaline infusion resulted in a small increase in arterial potassium but no significant hypokalemia. Beta-adrenergic blockade diminished and delayed the maximum increases in arterial potassium concentration associated with hypoxemia and adrenaline and blocked completely the marked hypokalemia that followed adrenaline infusion. The absence of hypokalemia following hypoxemia and the presence of it with adrenaline infusion offers suggestive evidence that the potassium changes associated with systemic hypoxemia may not be mediated solely through adrenaline release.