Which client condition increases the risk of hypokalemia?

The condition that significantly increases the risk of hypokalemia is hyperemesis gravidarum. This illness causes severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, which can lead to substantial loss of fluids and electrolytes, including potassium. When the body loses fluids through vomiting, it becomes more challenging to maintain normal electrolyte balance, and potassium levels can drop, resulting in hypokalemia.

In conditions like end-stage renal failure, the kidneys are unable to excrete potassium effectively, often leading to hyperkalemia rather than hypokalemia. Diabetic ketoacidosis can cause an initial serum potassium increase, even though total body potassium is often depleted, thus not directly leading to hypokalemia in the context of acute presentations. Third-degree burns result in significant fluid loss and can lead to various electrolyte imbalances; however, they typically do not specifically predispose an individual to hypokalemia compared to the severe vomiting seen in hyperemesis gravidarum.