although experimental hypokalaemia leads to a wide range of arrhythmias and conduction defects , the only significant clinical result of potassium depletion ( with or without hypokalaemia ) is observed at ventricular level : ventricular extrasystoles , typical forms of ventricular tachycardia or , more commonly , the form suggesting torsades de pointe . the mechanism of these ventricular arrhythmias is obscure and may involve either reentry phenomena favored by the heterogenicity of the refractory periods at the purkinje-ventricular junction or automaticity related to the increase in the slope of diastolic depolarisation or with the appearance of early post-potentials in series .
C0042514
ventricular tachycardia
C0040479
torsades de pointe