Potassium test

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Blood test

Overview

Risks

Results

Potassium test

Alternative Names:

Hypokalemia test; K+

Normal Values:

The normal range is 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L.

Note: mEq/L = milliequivalent per liter

What abnormal results mean:

Greater-than-normal levels of potassium (hyperkalemia) may indicate:

Crushed tissue from an injury
Kidney failure
Red blood cell destruction
Metabolic or respiratory acidosis
Transfusion of hemolyzed blood
Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (potassium is elevated during episodes of paralysis)
Addison's disease (rare)
Hypoaldosteronism (very rare)

Lower-than-normal levels of potassium (hypokalemia) may indicate:

The person is not getting enough potassium intake in the diet
Excessive potassium loss because of a gastrointestinal disorder -- e.g., chronic diarrhea or use of laxatives
Vomiting
Diuretic use
Renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the major blood vessels to the kidney)
Hyperaldosteronism ("True hyperaldosteronism" as with a tumor of the adrenal gland; "Pseudohyperaldosteronism" as in Liddle's Syndrome)
Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (low potassium during an episode of paralysis)
Cushing's syndrome (rare)
Renal tubular acidosis (rare)

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

Review Date: 6/13/2005
Reviewed By: Nader Najafian, M.D., Associate Physician, Renal Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Instructor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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