potassium (K+) in urine

Principle

• See potassium (K+) in serum & urine

Clinical significance

• K+ is the major cation of the intracellular fluid
• total body K+ is approximately 4200 meq with only 60 meq in the total extracellular fluid volume. (see K+)
• normally, K+ is freely filtered by the glomerulus but tends to be conserved if the serum K+ is low

Increases

• Cushing' syndrome
• hyperaldosteronism (primary & secondary)
• renal tubular disease
  • recovery phase of acute tubular necrosis

Decreases

• chronic potassium deficiency
• Addison's disease
• renal diseases with decreased urine flow
  • glomerulonephritis
  • pyelonephritis
  • nephrosclerosis

Specimen

No special patient preparation is required.

Urine: Collect timed or random specimens by standard laboratory procedures. Preservatives are not necessary & may interferes. Refrigerate specimen during collection & deep refrigerated until analysis.

Minimum sample size 0.5 milliliter: with an optimum size of 1.0 milliliters or larger.

More general terms

• potassium (K+) in body fluid
• urine chemistry test

More specific terms

• potassium (K+) in timed urine

Additional terms

• potassium (K+) in serum/plasma

Component of

• electrolytes in urine
• sodium/potassium in urine
• potassium (K+)/creatinine in urine

Patient information

postassium (K+) in urine patient information