Test Catalog

Test Id : KS

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Potassium, Serum

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Overview

Test Catalog

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Evaluation of electrolyte balance, cardiac arrhythmia, muscular weakness, hepatic encephalopathy, and renal failure

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Potentiometric, Indirect Ion-Selective Electrode

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

Potassium, S

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Serum

Necessary Information

Patient's age and sex are required.

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Collection Container/Tube: 

Preferred: Serum gel 

Acceptable: Red top 

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial 

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL 

Collection Instructions:

1. Serum gel tubes should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection. 

2. Red-top tubes should be centrifuged, and the serum aliquoted into a plastic vial within 2 hours of collection. 

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Renal Diagnostics Test Request (T830) with the specimen. 

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the testing laboratory. The minimum volume is sufficient for one attempt at testing.

0.25 mL

Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected

Gross hemolysis Reject
Gross lipemia OK

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Refrigerated 48 hours

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Evaluation of electrolyte balance, cardiac arrhythmia, muscular weakness, hepatic encephalopathy, and renal failure

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Potassium is the major cation of the intracellular fluid. Disturbance of potassium homeostasis has serious consequences. Decreases in extracellular potassium are characterized by muscle weakness, irritability, and eventual paralysis. Cardiac effects include tachycardia, other cardiac conduction abnormalities that are apparent by electrocardiographic examination, and eventual cardiac arrest.

 

Hypokalemia (low potassium) is common in vomiting, diarrhea, alcoholism, and folic acid deficiency. Additionally, more than 90% of hypertensive patients with aldosteronism have hypokalemia.

 

Abnormally high extracellular potassium levels produce symptoms of mental confusion; weakness, numbness, and tingling of the extremities; weakness of the respiratory muscles; flaccid paralysis of the extremities; slowed heart rate; and eventually peripheral vascular collapse and cardiac arrest. Hyperkalemia may be seen in end-stage renal failure, hemolysis, trauma, Addison disease, metabolic acidosis, acute starvation, dehydration, and with rapid potassium infusion.

 

Potassium should be monitored during treatment of many conditions but especially in diabetic ketoacidosis and any intravenous therapy for fluid replacement.

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

<1 year: not established

> or =1 year: 3.6-5.2 mmol/L

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

Potassium levels below 3.0 mmol/L are associated with marked neuromuscular symptoms and are evidence of a critical degree of intracellular depletion. Potassium levels below 2.5 mmol/L are potentially life-threatening.

 

High potassium can be an acute medical emergency, particularly if the potassium increases over a short period of time. At values above 6.0 mmol/L, symptoms are typically apparent. Potassium levels above 6.0 mmol/L are potentially lifethreatening. Levels above 10.0 mmol/L are, in most cases, fatal.

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

No significant cautionary statements

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. Fourth edition. Edited by CA Burtis, ER Ashwood, DE Bruns. WB Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2006;27:984-987; 2006;46:1754-1757

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

Ion-selective electrode (ISE) (indirect potentiometry). The ISE module performs indirect measurement of electromotive force (EMF). The ISE module measures the EMF difference between an ion-selective electrode and a reference electrode. The EMF of the ion-selective electrode is dependent on the ion concentration of the sample. The EMF of the reference electrode is constant. An electronic calculation circuit converts EMF of the sample to the ion concentration of the sample.(Package insert: Roche Diagnostics ISE reagent; Indianapolis, IN, 2006)

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday through Sunday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

Same day/1 to 2 days

Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded

1 week

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees :
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.

  • Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
  • Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.

Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.

CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.

CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.

84132

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
KS Potassium, S 2823-3
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
KS Potassium, S 2823-3

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
Test setup information contains test file definition details to support order and result interfacing between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and your Laboratory Information System.

Excel | Pdf

Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports