Potassium - urine

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Male urinary system

Overview

Risks

Results

Potassium - urine

Alternative Names:

Urine potassium

Normal Values:

The usual range for a person on a regular diet is 25 to 120 mEq/L/day. However, lower or higher urinary levels may occur depending on dietary potassium intake and the relative amount of potassium in the body. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories.

Note: mEq/L = milliequivalents per liter

What abnormal results mean:

Higher-than-normal urine potassium levels may indicate:

Acute tubular necrosis
Cushing's syndrome (rare)
Diabetic acidosis and other forms of metabolic acidosis
Hyperaldosteronism (very rare)
Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia) and vomiting
Low magnesium levels

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed include medullary cystic disease.

Review Date: 2/3/2006
Reviewed By: Charles Silberberg, DO, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology, Affiliated with New York Medical College, Division of Nephrology, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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