INS and Hypokalemia: Other medications that contribute to hypokalemia in individuals with diabetes are insulin, beta-2 agonists (through activation of the sodium-potassium ATPase [Na+-K+-ATPase] pump), antiarrhythmic agents, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, antibiotics (penicillin and aminoglycosides), antifungals (amphotericin B), and excessive use of laxatives.