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HelpTest Code K Potassium
Specimen and Container/Tube
Specimen Type: Plasma
Preferred Specimen: Li-Heparin Mint Green Top
Other Acceptable specimens: Serum/Gold Top, Serum/Red Top
Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions
UCMC Onsite Instructions:
Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately.
UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions:
- Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
- Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Aliquot sample into plastic transport tube containing a minimum of 0.2 mL of specimen.
- Samples must be sent room temperature at 15-25oC.
Rejection Criteria
- Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits.
- Specimens that are clotted or grossly hemolyzed.
- Specimens that were transported unspun/whole blood and draw time is greater than 6 hours.
Reference Values
|
Test |
Age |
Sex |
Reference Range |
|
Potassium |
All |
All |
3.5-5.0 mmol/L |
Note: Reference range based on in-house studies, recommendations from Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, and Roche product literature.
Critical Values
|
Analyte |
Unit |
Low |
High |
Age |
|
Potassium |
mmol/L |
<2.8 |
>6.2 |
>14 days |
|
Potassium |
mmol/L |
<2.8 |
>8.0 |
≤ 14 days |
CPT Codes
84132
LOINC Codes
2823-3
Volume
Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL
Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL
Specimen Stability
|
Storage Temperature |
Stability |
|
Room temperature |
14 days |
|
Refrigerated |
14 days |
|
Frozen |
stable |
Collection Instructions
Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures.
Test Components
Potassium
Clinical Indications
Potassium, as one of the principal intracellular cations in the body, is a major contributor to tissue osmotic pressure and is the prime determinant of the cell resting membrane potential.
Methodology
Ion Specific Electrode Method (ISE) (Roche Diagnostics)
Additional Information
- Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
- Release of potassium from as few as 0.5 % of the erythrocytes (from specimen collection) can increase the plasma level by 0.5 mmol/L.
- Hyperkalemia may be seen with anuria or urinary obstruction, tissue damage, violent muscle contraction, adrenal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, leukemia, hyperparathyroidism, congestive heart failure (less common), metabolic acidosis and heat stroke.
- Hypokalemia may be seen with prolonged diarrhea or vomiting, diuretic administration, mineralocorticoid excess, familial periodic paralysis, renal tubular acidosis, Bartter’s syndrome, acute intermittent porphyria, congestive heart failure, and Reye’s syndrome.
- Patients with WBC >100 K/uL and have a diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have the potential to have falsely elevated potassium when drawn in lithium heparin plasma separator tubes. Therefore patients should be drawn in a Serum Gold Top or Red Top tube using the order code SSTCP for CMP for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CPNL FOR CLL PATIENTS ONLY) , or SSTKP for BMP for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (KPNL FOR CLL PATIENTS ONLY)
- Also included in Basic Metabolic Panel KPNL, Comprehensive Metabolic Panel CPNL, ER Panel I STKG, Renal Function Panel RPNL, and Electrolyte Panel LYTS
Turnaround Time
Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory.
STAT Turnaround Time: 1 hour
Routine Turnaround Time: 4 hours
Testing Schedule: 24/7
Synonyms/Keyword Search
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Last Review Date
8/19/2024