Can Electrolyte Imbalance Cause Atrial Fibrillation

It’s hard to know if you have any deficiencies with electrolytes or essential minerals unless you’re really deficient in them. An example of this could be getting constant muscle cramps because you’re majorly deficient in both magnesium and potassium at the same time. Some people will know they are prone to having depleted electrolytes and they’ll be taking electrolyte supplements on an ongoing basis. It’s beneficial if you can be in-the-know that way as there may be bigger health risk, and this leads to asking can electrolyte imbalance cause atrial fibrillation.  

The answer there is that yes, an imbalance can cause a person to have a fluttering heartbeat. In most of these instances it is one particular electrolyte that is to blame for the changes to the way the heart beats. That’s potassium, and when a deficiency of it is paired with an overabundance of another mineral – phosphorous – then that’s the recipe for having an atrial fibrillation because of unbalanced electrolytes. That’s the basics for can electrolyte cause afib. It can, but usually there needs to be other necessary cofactors too.  

Hyperkalemia is the clinical term for a blood potassium deficiency, and it’s the medical condition that is going to be most immediately connected can electrolyte imbalance cause atrial fibrillation. The way the heart beats will be determined by the how the muscles of the heart contract in the proper rhythm, and of course that’s something that’s going on at all times. Potassium is a positive-charge electrolyte and that charge nature is why it contributes to establishing and regulating a normal heartbeat.  

Not Too Much, Or Too Little  

That balance of potassium levels is always going to be central with can electrolyte imbalance cause atrial fibrillation. Magnesium levels will also factor into your heartbeat strength and consistency too, as they are a contributor for healthy muscle function all over the body and that includes the heart muscles too. A person who has a magnesium deficiency to go along with a potassium one AND high phosphorous levels will be much more likely to have a fluttering heartbeat.  

Longterm low electrolyte combinations like this one may even up causing the person to have heart failure or be more at risk of a heart attack because of high blood pressure. Severe dehydration can enhance the effects of any type of electrolyte imbalance, and it may mean that person is more likely to have an atrial fibrillation if they’re also potassium deficient but are loaded with phosphorous at the same time.  

People who have hyperhidrosis – excessive sweating – will need to be more on the lookout for this possibility. This can be a part of can electrolyte imbalance cause atrial fibrillation too and if you have any variation of an irregular heartbeat it’s best to know what you can do to normalize it. A bradycardia (fast) or tachycardia (slowed) heartbeat is different from a heart flutter, but the root causes of any of the three may be the same for people.