How reports print it
KK+Калий в сыворотке
What it shows
An electrolyte that nerves, muscles and the heart depend on.
Units and conversion
Base unit: mmol/L.
- 1 mEq/L = 1 mmol/L
Typical ranges
Your laboratory’s range comes first — it is printed on the report next to the result. Below is one laboratory’s adult range with its method: a reference, not a rule.
| Who | Range, mmol/L |
|---|---|
| Adults | 3.5–5.1 |
Range source: Лаборатория Хеликс — Калий, натрий, хлор в сыворотке
Critical values
Urgent thresholds per the source below: ≤ 2.9 mmol/L or ≥ 6.0 mmol/L. If your report has such a value, see a doctor today; if you feel unwell right now, call 103 or 112.
- Critical values comparison: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes survey of 163 clinical laboratories — Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 2007
Why it can be higher
Common reasons discussed with a doctor. This is not a diagnosis.
- A sample artefact: if red cells break down as the blood is drawn (haemolysis), potassium reads higher than it is — a doctor may ask for a repeat
- Reduced kidney function
- Potassium-sparing diuretics and some other medicines
- Dehydration
Why it can be lower
- Vomiting, diarrhoea
- Diuretics
- Low potassium intake
What to ask a doctor
- Should potassium be repeated?
- Can my medicines affect potassium?
Whom to see
A GP or internist.