Potassium Test:
Why Potassium Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Potassium (K) is an essential macro-mineral required to maintain good health. Potassium is vital for all the tissues in the body (most abundant intracellular cation), as it maintains intracellular fluid volume (cellular tonicity of cells in the tissues) and trans-membrane electrochemical gradient (regulated by the sodium-potassium ATPase). Potassium is an essential mineral required by all tissues in the body. Potassium is ingested through food consumed (dietary intake) and absorbed by the small intestines. The excess potassium is excreted primarily by the urine and also in traces through stools and sweat. It carries an electrical charge and it is involved in the various cell activities including heartbeat (regulated blood pressure and relaxing the walls of the blood vessels), preventing stroke, the function of the nerve (transmission of impulse), muscle contraction, digestion, preservation muscle mass especially in elderly people, prevent kidney disease, regulates blood glucose levels, maintains bone health, diffusion of substances within and outside the cells (eg. transport of nutrients into the cell and removal of metabolic end-products outside the cell), regulates extra-cellular fluid volume including plasma volume in the body, maintains cellular tonicity etc. Potassium has a key role in water, pH (acidity/alkalinity), electrolyte balance (eg. eliminating excessive sodium from the body) in the body and kidneys help in its regulation. Potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) can be due to malnutrition, excessive loss of body fluids in cases such as persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive sweating, kidney disease, overuse of diuretics and laxatives, magnesium deficiency, medications like penicillin, prescriptions like insulin, albuterol, terbutaline etc (causes influx of high potassium levels from the blood to move into the cells causing temporary hypokalemia), Cushing’s syndrome (excess aldosterone is produced that results to excrete increased amount of potassium) etc. Symptoms of low potassium are fatigue, constipation, palpitations, abnormal heartbeats, increases the risk of kidney stones, muscle weakness, twitching, spasm, tingling sensation and/or numbness, leads to paralysis, inhibits the ability of kidneys to reabsorb calcium, high urine output, glucose intolerance, breathing difficulties, mood changes etc. Chronic untreated cases may lead to hypomagnesemia, confusion, and adrenal disorders and can be life-threatening (may lead to death). High potassium can be due to high intake of potassium supplements, kidney disease, prolonged exercise, cocaine abuse, excessive potassium conserving diuretics, chemotherapy, diabetes, severe burns etc. It can affect the normal heartbeat rhythm (increases the risk of high Blood pressure) and can cause arrhythmias and induce a heart attack. Symptoms of hyperkalemia (increased potassium levels) include pain in the abdomen, shortness of breath, chest pain, abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmias), palpitations, flutters, weakness in muscles, nausea, vomiting etc. If immediate medical attention is not given, the condition can be life-threatening (may lead to death). Additional tests include ECG, pH test, other electrolytes test, ABG, insulin test, KFT, urine analysis, estimation of antiepileptic drugs etc. Other tests include imaging studies like CT scan, MRI, endoscopy in case of GI bleeding or intestinal obstruction, ultrasound etc in pathologies such as ascites or peritonitis (transudate) etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample collected from the vein sample specimen. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RT DIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
