Potassium, Serum

Overview:

Potassium is one of the body's main electrolytes and is kept within a narrow range because both high and low levels affect the electrical activity of the heart. The kidneys do most of the regulating, so potassium is closely watched in kidney disease and in people taking medications that affect it, including some diuretics, ACE inhibitors and potassium supplements. Low potassium can follow vomiting, diarrhea or diuretic use; high potassium most often reflects reduced kidney function. One practical point: if red cells break during collection, potassium leaks out and the result reads falsely high.

Categories:

Electrolytes, Kidney, Heart

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker