A Review of Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis and Proposal of A Symptom Mitigation Tool

Abstract

Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HyperPP) is a disease caused by a mutation of the SCN4A gene (Weber et al., 1993). This gene codes for the alpha-subunit of the voltage-gated Nav1.4 sodium channels found in skeletal muscle (George et al., 1993), which are essential to uniform muscle contraction (Weber et al., 1993). HyperPP manifests as episodes of flaccid muscle weakness, typically evident in the patient’s first decade of life. (Statland et al., 2018a). A possible trigger for HyperPP attacks is dietary potassium intake (V. Sansone et al., 2008). The aim of this paper is to discuss the onset mechanisms of HyperPP and current treatment pathways, and to propose an application capable of tracking the nutrient data of food items, including potassium content, to help patients mediate their symptoms. To determine the efficacy of this novel management tool, a study should be completed 12 months after it is released for public use.