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potassium (K+) in serum/plasma

Reference values: - Male & Female: 3.5 - 5.1 mmol/L Clinical significance: - see K+ [13] Indications: - evaluation of - electrolyte balance - cardiac arrhythmias - muscular weakness - hepatic encephalopathy - renal failure - monitoring during - treatment of ketoacidosis in diabetes mellitus - intravenous therapy for fluid replacement - treatment with diuretics or other pharmaceutical agents that effect serum K+ a) ACE inhibitors b) angiotensin receptor blockers Increases: 1) see hyperkalemia 2) pharmaceutical agents: a) in vivo effects -> heparin, K+, spironolactone b) chemical interferences -> Ca+2, penicillin G Decreases: 1) see hypokalemia 2) pharmaceutical agents: -> in vivo effects -> ACTH, corticosteroids, amphotericin, glucose, insulin, oral diuretics, salicylates, tetracycline Principle: See potassium (K+) in serum & urine Specimen: No special patient preparation is required. However, the patient should avoid exercising the forearm before drawing sample because opening & closing the fist increases potassium levels by 10 to 20 percent. For serum preparation: Collect whole blood & allow to clot according to manufacturer's instructions. Specimens are collected in a red top vacutainer by venipuncture & should be separated immediately form the cells after collection. Plasma: Heparin may be used as an anticoagulant for plasma specimens; do not use potassium oxalate/sodium fluoride for this test. Minimum sample size 0.5 milliliter: with an optimum size of 1.0 milliliters or larger.

Related

hyperkalemia hypokalemia hypokalemic (K+ depleting) agent potassium (K+) in 24 hour urine

General

potassium (K+) in serum/plasma/blood

References

  1. Tietz, N. W.: Electrolytes, in Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Co., p. 617, 1987.
  2. Friedman R. B., Young D. S.: Effects of Disease on Clinical Laboratory Tests, Washington, D. C.; AACC Press, 1990.
  3. Package Inserts: Kodak Ektachem Clinical Chemistry Slide (K+) Kodak Clinical Products, Rochester, New York, 1992.
  4. Kodak Ektachem 700 Analyzer Operator's Manual, Kodak Clinical Products, Rochester, New York
  5. Kodak Ektachem Training Manual, Kodak Clinical Products, Rochester, New York, 1993.
  6. Mayo Internal Medicine Board Review, 1998-99, Prakash UBS (ed) Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, 1998, pg 601.
  7. Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods, 19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA. 1996, pg 11.
  8. Potassium, Serum or Plasma Laboratory Test Directory ARUP: 20002
  9. Panel of 11 tests Laboratory Test Directory ARUP: 20144
  10. Panel of 9 tests Laboratory Test Directory ARUP: 20399
  11. Panel of 15 tests Laboratory Test Directory ARUP: 20408
  12. Panel of 5 tests Laboratory Test Directory ARUP: 20410
  13. Gumz ML, Rabinowitz L, Wingo CS An Integrated View of Potassium Homeostasis. N Engl J Med 2015; 373:60-72. July 2, 2015 PMID: 26132942 http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1313341

Component-of

chemistry 14 panel (comprehensive metabolic panel, CMP, chem 12, SMA12, SMA20) chemistry 7 panel (Chem-7 SMA7) chemistry 8 panel (basic metabolic panel, BMP, basic chemistry panel) chemistry 8 panel with ionized calcium; basic metabolic panel (BMP) with ionized calcium electrolytes in CSF electrolytes in serum intravenous salt loading test sodium (Na+) & potassium (K+) in serum sodium/potassium in serum/plasma