30th July 2023

Clinical features

These are generally the consequences of the associated electrolyte deficiencies.

They include muscle weakness, abdominal pain, constipation, and nausea/vomiting. More serious manifestations are of the CNS and cardiovascular system, such as ataxia, seizures, delirium, coma, and life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Torsades de pointes and subsequent ventricular fibrillation are a particular risk due to hypokalaemia.

Thiamine deficiency can cause Wernicke’s encephalopathy, and the irreversible Korsakoff’s syndrome, if untreated.