Dissociation of glucose and potassium arterial-venous differences across the forearm by acetazolamide. A possible relationship to acetazolamide's beneficial effect in hypokalemic periodic paralysis.

We studied the effect of acetazolamide on arterial-venous (A-V) glucose and potassium differences across the forearm following oral glucose loading in eight normal subjects. Administration of acetazolamide for 72 hours prior to glucose loading resulted in increased A-V glucose differences and decreased A-V potassium differences. Acetazolamide may, therefore, increase glucose uptake across muscle while decreasing potassium uptake following glucose ingestion. This glucose-potassium dissociation observed in normal subjects may relate to acetazolamide's beneficial effect in hypokalemic periodic paralysis.