Potassium Testing (K)

A raised blood potassium concentration is known as hyperkalaemia.

Many conditions can be associated with a high potassium level. Common causes include kidney disease and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Other associated conditions include diabetes and Addison’s disease. This finding is often reviewed further with additional blood results and clinical investigation to clarify the cause.

A high potassium result can also occur because of cell damage during blood collection, such as when the arm is squeezed too tightly or blood is drawn very slowly. This is known as a haemolysed sample and is a common reason for an unexpectedly high potassium result; in these cases, the sample is often repeated.

A potassium level greater than 6 is generally treated as potentially dangerous and is often prioritised for immediate repeat sampling. Other possible causes of hyperkalaemia include kidney disease, medication side effects, or more rarely ingestion of potassium.