Prevalence of hypokalemia before and after bowel preparation for colonoscopy in high-risk patients

Hypokalemia is frequently encountered after low-volume polyethylene glycol bowel cleansing in high-risk patients. Additional large-scale studies are needed on the prevalence of hypokalemia in unselected populations undergoing bowel cleansing and on the occurrence of potentially very serious side effects in order to decide on screening of high-risk groups in daily clinical practice. (Clinical trial registration number: NTR5400.)