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Potassium
MessagePerforming Lab: Central Lab, Hudson, Lakeview, Regions, Sartell, Westfields
Test Code
0124
Alias/See Also
Sunquest: K
CPT Codes
84132
Preferred Specimen
100 uL Lithium Heparin Plasma (light green-top) tube
Minimum Volume
15 uL (does not include dead volume)
Other Acceptable Specimens
Serum (gold-top, red-top, red/gray-top), Lithium Heparin (light green-top) on ICE
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Specimen Stability
Room Temperature: < 1 week
Refrigerated: < 1 week
Frozen: < 1 year at -20 C
Refrigerated: < 1 week
Frozen: < 1 year at -20 C
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Hemolysis
Methodology
Ion Selective Electrode Diluted (Indirect)
Potentiometric
Setup Schedule
Hospital: Daily
Clinics: Monday - Friday
Clinics: Monday - Friday
Report Available
Same day.
Reference Range
>= 13 Months: 3.5 - 5.1 mmol/L
2 - 12 Months: 3.5 - 5.9 mmol/L
0 - 1 Months: 3.0 - 5.9 mmol/L
Critical:
<= 2.5 or >= 6.0 mmol/L
2 - 12 Months: 3.5 - 5.9 mmol/L
0 - 1 Months: 3.0 - 5.9 mmol/L
Critical:
<= 2.5 or >= 6.0 mmol/L
Clinical Significance
Potassium is the major cation of the intracellular fluid. Measurement of serum potassium is used for evaluation of electrolyte imbalance, cardiac arrhythmias, muscular weakness, hepatic encephalopathy, and renal failure and for the monitoring of ketoacidosis in diabetes mellitus and intravenous fluid replacement therapy.
More than 90% of hypertensive patients with aldosteronism have a low K+; a low K+ is also common in vomiting, diarrhea, alcoholism, and folic acid deficiency. High K+ values occur in rapid K+ infusion, end stage renal failure, hemolysis, trauma, Addison’s disease, metabolic acidosis, acute starvation, dehydration, and acute medical emergency. Normally, K+ is freely filtered by the glomerulus but tends to be conserved if the serum K+ is low.
More than 90% of hypertensive patients with aldosteronism have a low K+; a low K+ is also common in vomiting, diarrhea, alcoholism, and folic acid deficiency. High K+ values occur in rapid K+ infusion, end stage renal failure, hemolysis, trauma, Addison’s disease, metabolic acidosis, acute starvation, dehydration, and acute medical emergency. Normally, K+ is freely filtered by the glomerulus but tends to be conserved if the serum K+ is low.
