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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffBy the time your doctor detects pseudomembranous colitis, you may already be seriously ill. If the condition isn't successfully treated at the time of diagnosis, a number of complications can develop, including:
- Abnormally low levels of potassium in your blood (hypokalemia), due to the loss of potassium during excessive diarrhea
- Dehydration leading to abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension), related to significant loss of fluids and electrolytes due to diarrhea
- Kidney failure, due to severe dehydration resulting from diarrhea
- Abnormally low levels of protein in your blood (proteinemia) from a leaky colon wall
- A hole in your bowel (perforated colon), which can lead to an infection of your abdominal cavity
- Toxic megacolon, a rare but serious distension of the colon, leaving it incapable of expelling gas and stool, which could cause your colon to rupture
Most people respond well to treatment, but pseudomembranous colitis can be fatal without effective treatment. The risk of death is highest in older adults.
