Low intake - Malnutrition, malabsorption, Alcoholism
Excess loss - hyperparathyroidism, renal tubular damage (Fanconi syndrome), diarrhoea
Extracellular/intracellular fluid redistribution - alkalosis, refeeding
Refeeding syndrome
- (\downarrow) Insulin, (\uparrow) glucagon. Fat and protein metabolism. Intracellular stores of electrolytes used up
- Upon refeeding (\uparrow) Insulin, (\uparrow) glycolysis, requiring K, PO4 and magnesium movement into cells with glucose.
- This causes severe hypokalaemia, hypophosphatemia and Hypomagnesemia heart dysfunction and resp failure
Signs and symptoms of low PO4
- Haemolysis, thrombocytopenia and poor granulocyte function
- Severe muscle weakness, respiratory muscle failure and rhabdomyolysis
Treatment with oral or IV phosphate