Potassium
Test Mnemonic
K1
CPT Codes
- 84132 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
2823-3
Aliases
- K
Performing Laboratory
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Plasma | Lithium heparin PST (Lt. Green) | Centrifuge and refrigerate. | Submit in original tube or aliquot specimen into CCL aliquot tube |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | Centrifuge and refrigerate. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 14 days |
| Refrigerated | 14 days |
| Frozen | Stable |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
8 hours
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Ion Selective Electrode (ISE) |
Reference Range
| Potassium | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| ~ | Critical | <2.5 or >6.0 | mmol/L | ~ | Critical | <3.0 or >6.0 | mmol/L | Years | 99 Years | Normal | 3.7 - 5.1 | mmol/L | Years | 99 Years | Critical | < 2.5 or > 6.0 | mmol/L |
Special Info
Hemolysis will falsely increase values. Grossly hemolyzed specimens will be rejected.
Clinical Info
For patient population 0-17 years of age: Reference ranges for this patient’s age group have not been established. These reference ranges reflect verified or established ranges for the adult population. Interpret these ranges with caution using the clinical context and additional reference resources.