Potassium
CPT Code(s):
84132
Turnaround Time:
4 hours
Specimen Requirements
Preferred Specimen:
Serum
Minimum Volume:
1.0 mL
Transport Container:
Serum Separator Tube (SST) or Red Top Tube
Transport Temperature:
Room Temperature
Collection Instructions:
Allow blood to clot completely prior to centrifugation. Separate serum from cells within 45 minutes of collection.
Rejection Criteria:
Citrate, Fluoride,Sodium Heparin, or EDTA plasma specimen; gross hemolysis; lipemia; improper labeling
Stability Criteria
Room Temperature:
8 hours
Refrigerated:
7 days
Frozen:
30 days
Clinical Significance
Potassium is a clinically significant and diagnostically useful laboratory test that measures the level of potassium in a patient's blood. Potassium is an essential electrolyte that plays a vital role in various physiological processes in the body, including nerve function, muscle contraction, and maintaining the balance of fluids and electrolytes.
The specific clinical significance and diagnostic use of Potassium include:
1. Electrolyte Imbalance: Potassium helps identify abnormalities in potassium levels, such as hyperkalemia (high potassium) or hypokalemia (low potassium). These imbalances can have significant clinical implications and may indicate underlying medical conditions or medication side effects.
2. Kidney Function Evaluation: Potassium is particularly important in assessing kidney function. The kidneys regulate potassium levels in the body by excreting excess potassium through urine. Abnormal potassium levels can be indicative of kidney dysfunction or impaired renal clearance.
3. Cardiac Health Assessment: Potassium plays a critical role in maintaining the normal electrical activity of the heart. Abnormal potassium levels can disrupt the heart's rhythm, leading to potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Potassium helps evaluate cardiac health and can be especially useful in patients with cardiovascular diseases or those taking medications that affect potassium levels.
4. Monitoring Medication Therapy: Certain medications, such as diuretics, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors, can affect potassium levels in the body. Regular monitoring of potassium levels through Potassium is crucial for patients on these medications to ensure that potassium levels remain within a safe range and to prevent adverse effects.
5. Dehydration and Fluid Imbalance: Potassium levels can be influenced by hydration status and fluid balance. In conditions like severe vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive sweating, potassium levels may become imbalanced, leading to electrolyte disturbances. Potassium helps assess the need for fluid replacement and guides appropriate management.
6. Overall Health Assessment: Potassium is often included as part of a comprehensive metabolic panel or basic metabolic panel to evaluate a patient's overall health status. Abnormal potassium levels may indicate underlying systemic disorders, such as adrenal insufficiency, diabetes, or certain endocrine disorders.
In summary, Potassium is crucial for assessing potassium levels in the blood and plays a vital role in diagnosing electrolyte imbalances, evaluating kidney function, monitoring cardiac health, assessing medication therapy, and identifying dehydration or fluid imbalances. It provides valuable information that helps guide treatment decisions and enables healthcare providers to address potential health concerns related to potassium abnormalities. Regular monitoring of potassium levels through this test is essential for maintaining optimal health and preventing complications associated with potassium imbalances.