What does hypokalemia cause in the heart?

Hypokalemia, which refers to a low level of potassium in the blood, has significant effects on cardiac function. The heart relies heavily on potassium to maintain normal electrical activity and rhythm. Potassium ions are critical for repolarization of cardiac cells following depolarization and for maintaining the resting membrane potential. When there is a deficiency of potassium, it can lead to dysfunction in these processes.

In particular, hypokalemia can result in weak or arrhythmic heartbeats. This is because the altered potassium levels affect the heart's electrical conduction system, leading to a delay in impulse transmission and an increased risk of arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats. The reduced potassium concentration diminishes the ability of the heart muscle to contract efficiently, contributing to a weakened heartbeat.

Due to these factors, the impact of hypokalemia on the heart manifests primarily as a potential for arrhythmias and compromised cardiac output due to ineffective contractions, thus making weak or arrhythmic heartbeats the correct consequence of this condition.