|  | Conditions Treatments | Medical Conditions

What Does High Potassium Signify in a Blood Chemistry Result?

Potassium is a mineral that plays a vital role in the normal function of the body's muscle and nerve cells. High potassium readings on a blood test have a number of potential underlying causes.

  1. The Facts

    • High blood potassium is also known as hyperkalemia, notes the Mayo Clinic. Normal blood potassium levels vary from 3.6 to 4.8 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) of blood.

    Hyperkalemia Causes

    • The U.S. National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus reports that hyperkalemia can result from higher total body levels of potassium (potassium buildup) or from the abnormal release of cellular potassium into the bloodstream.

    Abnormal Potassium Buildup

    • Hyperkalemia usually results from diseases that inhibit the kidneys from ridding the body of potassium. These diseases include chronic kidney failure, Addison’s disease, acute kidney failure, kidney transplant rejection and glomerulonephritis (damage to waste removal structures in the kidneys), notes MedlinePlus.

    Abnormal Potassium Release

    • Underlying sources of the release of cellular potassium include burns and other traumatic injuries, muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), surgery, gastrointestinal bleeding and hemolytic (blood cell-bursting) disorders, MedlinePlus reports.

    Additional Sources

    • Lab Tests Online cites additional hyperkalemia causes, including diabetes, infections, excessive dietary potassium and use of medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), ACE inhibitors and beta blockers.

Medical Conditions - Related Articles