AN OVERVIEW
About Potassium Serum Test
Why is a potassium serum test done?
Potassium is an electrolyte that is essential for the body. Potassium helps regulate the proper functioning of the heart and liver. People who suffer from malnourishment are often advised to get a routine potassium blood test. Apart from this, there are certain symptoms that cause doctors to request a potassium serum test result. These symptoms often include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Weakness
- Irregular rhythms of the heart
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Cramps in the muscles
- Sudden twitches
- Difficulty in breathing
If a person is diabetic, they have to routinely opt for a potassium blood test because insulin tends to lower the potassium concentration in the blood.
What does the potassium serum test measure?
The potassium blood test is usually conducted as part of the total electrolyte panel, especially for people who suffer from kidney diseases. Having the correct amount of potassium in the system is essential. While the concentration of potassium can fluctuate depending on the diet or physical condition of the person, prolonged fluctuations can indicate serious diseases.
When the potassium level is higher than normal, the condition is known as hyperkalemia. This indicates that the person might suffer from:
- Type 1 diabetes
- Metabolic acidosis
- Respiratory acidosis
- Addisons disease
- Kidney failure
- Hypoaldosteronism
- Destruction of red blood cells due to injury or burn
- Dehydration
When the potassium levels are lower than normal, the condition is known as hypokalemia. This is indicative of:
- Chronic diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Excessive use of laxatives
- Deficiency of folic acid
- Acetaminophen overdose
- Diabetes
- Cushings syndrome
- Kidney disease
Potential risks/side effects of Potassium serum test
When opting to get a potassium blood test done, there are no recorded risks involved. The blood that is to be tested is drawn from the veins. If the persons veins are not easy to be located, the technician might have to puncture repeatedly to find the correct vein. Slight itching and pain can be felt and seen in the area from where the blood was drawn.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs
What food should be consumed to meet the daily potassium requirement?
If you are looking to increase the potassium levels in your blood, eating food that includes bananas, almonds, avocados, tomatoes, and kidney beans will be beneficial.
Which is good low potassium food?
For people advised to consume food that has low potassium content, they can opt to include cabbage, blueberries, grapes, cauliflower, and raw onions in the diet.
Is fasting required before sample collection?
Ideally fasting is not mandatory for potassium serum test, but if the person has certain food requirements, then the doctor can advise fasting to ensure accuracy of the results.
THINGS TO KNOW AFTER GETTING TESTED
Interpreting the Potassium Serum Test results
The potassium blood test can be indicative of certain diseases. When the results are delivered, the doctor checks the report against the normal levels. In adults, the normal range should be between 3.6 mmoL/l to 5.2 mmoL/l (millimoles per liter).
Deviation from this result does not always mean serious illness. Certain medications like diuretics, insulin, albuterol, or laxatives can affect potassium levels.
Potassium Serum Test in Chandigarh
Starts from 75*
A potassium serum test is done to check the amount of potassium that is present in the blood of a person. When a doctor prescribes a potassium blood test in Chandigarh, they want to ascertain the underlying cause of the symptoms associated with high potassium concentration in the body.
The correct levels of potassium are essential to have a healthy system and any irregularities over a prolonged time can lead to severe illnesses.
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