Electrolyte Disorders

Electrolytes are important minerals found in your blood and body fluids. They include potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and chloride. Electrolytes keep your body running by sending electrical impulses to cells in your nerves and muscles, regulating fluid levels and blood pressure, and repairing tissue damage.

It’s normal to have temporary changes in your electrolyte levels after excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. But if your electrolyte levels are frequently too low or too high, you may have an electrolyte disorder.

UPMC experts specialize in diagnosing and treating electrolyte disorders. Our team will find the cause of your condition and develop a treatment plan to manage your symptoms and reduce your risk of complications.

On this page

• What Are Electrolyte Disorders?
• What Are the Symptoms of Electrolyte Disorders?
• How Do You Diagnose Electrolyte Disorders?
• How Do You Treat Electrolyte Disorders?

What Are Electrolyte Disorders?

Electrolyte disorders happen when one or more of your electrolyte levels are too low or too high. It’s normal to have temporary changes in your electrolyte levels when you lose a lot of fluids after excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. But if your electrolyte levels are frequently too low or too high, you may have an electrolyte disorder.

Your kidneys regulate your body’s fluid and electrolyte levels. If your kidneys aren’t working properly, you may develop an electrolyte disorder. If your electrolyte disorder is severe or left untreated, it can cause serious complications.

What are the types of electrolyte disorders? 

Electrolyte disorders have different names based on which mineral is out of balance.

They also use a prefix based on whether the electrolyte level is too high or too low:

• Hyper- means too high.
• Hypo- means too low.

The most common types of electrolyte disorders are:

• Hypercalcemia — Calcium levels are too high.
• Hypocalcemia — Calcium levels are too low.
• Hyperchloremia — Chloride levels are too high.
• Hypochloremia — Chloride levels are too low.
• Hyperkalemia — Potassium levels are too high.
• Hypokalemia — Potassium levels are too low.
• Hypermagnesemia — Magnesium levels are too high.
• Hypomagnesemia — Magnesium levels are too low.
• Hypernatremia — Sodium levels are too high.
• Hyponatremia — Sodium levels are too low.
• Hyperphosphatemia — Phosphate levels are too high.
• Hypophosphatemia — Phosphate levels are too low.

What causes electrolyte disorders?

Electrolyte disorders may be caused by:

• Dehydration or drinking too much water.
• Inherited genetic conditions.
• Kidney disorders or illness-related damage, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Malnutrition.
• Severe vomiting, diarrhea, or gastrointestinal malabsorption.

Some people get electrolyte disorders from the medicine they take for other health problems, such as:

• ACE inhibitors.
• Antibiotics.
• Cancer drugs.
• Corticosteroids.
• Hormones.
• Supplements, such as potassium and calcium.
• Water pills (diuretics).

Life-threatening conditions — such as shock or severe dehydration — can also cause electrolyte disorders.

What is the most common cause of electrolyte imbalance?

Losing body fluids from excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea is the most common cause of electrolyte imbalance.

What are electrolyte disorder risk factors and complications?

Electrolyte disorder risk factors

Mild electrolyte disorders are common in people over 55. Older adults are at higher risk for these disorders, but young people can also have them.

You may be at higher risk of electrolyte disorders if you have:

• Adrenal gland problems.
• Age-related mental or physical decline.
• Cirrhosis.
• Eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia.
• Heart failure.
• Kidney disease.
• Severe trauma, such as burns or broken bones.
• Thyroid problems.

Complications of electrolyte disorders

Without treatment, electrolyte disorders can become life-threatening and cause:

• Cardiac arrest.
• Comas.
• Seizures.

How can I prevent electrolyte disorders? 

You may not be able to prevent all types of electrolyte disorders. However, you can reduce your risk by:

• Eating a healthy diet — Include foods with vital minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and chloride.
• Following your thirst — Drink water when you are thirsty to replace lost fluids.

How common are electrolyte disorders?

Electrolyte disorders are common, especially in people over 55. Hyponatremia (low sodium levels) is the most common type of electrolyte imbalance.

Back to top.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Electrolyte Disorders?

Mild electrolyte disorders often don't have any noticeable symptoms. Symptoms of moderate electrolyte disorders include:

• Fatigue.
• Headache.
• Muscle cramping or weakness.
• Numbness and tingling.
• Overheating.

Symptoms of severe electrolyte disorders may include:

• Brain swelling.
• Confusion.
• Dizziness.
• Fast or abnormal heart rate,
• Irritability.
• Lethargy.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Seizures.
• Shock.

When should I see a doctor about my electrolyte disorder symptoms?

If you have severe electrolyte disorder symptoms, dial 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. If you have mild symptoms that don’t improve with at-home care, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Back to top.

How Do You Diagnose Electrolyte Disorders?

Some electrolyte disorders do not cause noticeable symptoms and are diagnosed during routine physical exams or by testing for other conditions. If you have symptoms, your doctor will perform a physical exam, talk to you about your health history, and order blood and urine tests to diagnose electrolyte imbalances.

What to expect during your visit

During your visit, your doctor will:

• Ask about your health history, including any history of high blood pressure or kidney disease.
• Ask when your symptoms started.
• Order blood and urine tests to check your electrolyte levels and kidney function.

They may also:

• Order an EKG to check your heart rhythm.
• Perform a physical exam.
• Test your reflexes.

Your doctor may also ask about:

• How much fluid you drink.
• How much you exercise.
• If anyone else in your family has a history of electrolyte disorders.
• If you drink alcohol or coffee (and, if so, how much).
• Whether you've been sick or prescribed a new medication, such as water pills.
• Your eating habits.

Tests to diagnose electrolyte disorders

Your doctor may order tests to check your electrolyte levels, including:

• Anion gap blood test — Checks your body’s acid-base balance and looks for electrolyte imbalances.
• Electrolyte panel — Checks levels of electrolytes in your blood.
• Urine electrolyte test — Checks levels of electrolytes in your urine.

Your doctor may also order an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) test, which shows how efficiently your kidneys are functioning based on your age, creatinine level, and sex.

Electrolyte disorder prognosis

Mild-to-moderate electrolyte disorders can usually be managed to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Severe electrolyte disorders — such as those caused by kidney failure or genetic conditions — may require more intensive treatment, such as dialysis or intravenous (IV) medications. Your doctor will discuss your condition and prognosis with you.

Back to top.

How Do You Treat Electrolyte Disorder?

Electrolyte disorder treatment depends on the type of disorder and whether it's due to an underlying condition, such as kidney disease or a genetic disorder. We'll work with you to find the cause of your electrolyte disorder and deliver expert treatment.

The most common treatments are:

Lifestyle changes

Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, such as decreasing your fluid intake, or changing your diet, such as eating a potassium-rich diet, if you have low potassium.

Medicine to treat electrolyte disorders

Your doctor may recommend medications or medication changes to help you manage your electrolyte disorder, including:

• Giving you medicine by mouth or IV to restore your electrolyte balance.
• Prescribing supplements, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, or phosphate.
• Prescribing medication to treat other health problems, such as high blood pressure or kidney disease.
• Stopping or changing a medicine that affects your electrolytes.

Dialysis for electrolyte disorders

If your electrolyte disorder is severe and caused by kidney failure, your doctor may recommend dialysis to clean and filter electrolytes from your blood.

What happens during dialysis?

During dialysis, a machine cleans waste from your blood and helps control your blood pressure.

There are two common types of dialysis:

• Hemodialysis — Performed using a machine at a dialysis clinic or home three times a week for about three hours.
• Peritoneal dialysis — Performed through a catheter in your abdomen at home.

How effective is dialysis for electrolyte disorder?

If you have kidney failure, dialysis is a lifesaving treatment option. Without it, toxins, electrolytes, and fluid would build up in your body and cause death within days or weeks.

However, for most people, dialysis is only a short-term treatment. In time, you may need a kidney transplant.

Why choose UPMC for electrolyte disorder care?

When you choose UPMC for electrolyte disorder care, you will receive:

• Access to world-class nephrology expertise — Our world-renowned experts treat the full spectrum of kidney diseases using the latest diagnostic and treatment techniques.
• A full range of treatment options — We'll work with you to develop a treatment plan that slows the progression of your disease as much as possible and improves your quality of life.
• Multidisciplinary care — If you need advanced kidney treatment, we partner with special dialysis clinics, experts in supportive care, and kidney transplant surgeons.

Back to top.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-24.