What Is Serum K?

The potassium in the human body mainly comes from food. Over 90% of the potassium in food is absorbed in the intestine in a short time, and 90% of the potassium absorbed into the blood is excreted from the kidney within 4h. The majority (98%) of potassium ions are present in the cell, and a small amount is present in the extracellular fluid with a constant concentration. Tissue cells contain an average of K + 150mmol / L, red blood cells contain K + about 105mmol / L, and serum contains K + about 4-5 mmol / L. Potassium ions in the body are constantly exchanged between cells and body fluids to maintain dynamic balance. Potassium is the main cation that maintains the physiological activities of cells, and plays an important role in maintaining the body's normal osmotic pressure and acid-base balance, participating in sugar and protein metabolism, and ensuring the normal function of neuromuscular muscles.

Serum potassium

The potassium in the human body mainly comes from food. Over 90% of the potassium in food is absorbed in the intestine in a short time, and 90% of the potassium absorbed into the blood is excreted from the kidney within 4h.

Serum potassium hypokalemia

Reduce intake: long-term fasting, anorexia, and eating less.

potassium migration into cells: insulin therapy, alkalosis, periodic paralysis (hypokalemia) and so on.

increased excretion of potassium in urine:

A. Increased mineralocorticoid secretion: primary aldosteronism, 17-hydroxylase deficiency, Cushing syndrome, ectopic ACTH tumors, Bartter syndrome (low aldosterone disease and hypokalemia) Poisoned juxtaglomerular hyperplasia syndrome), secondary aldosteronism (malignant hypertension, renal vascular hypertension), juxtaglomerular cell tumors, a large amount of oral licorice and so on.

B. Increased distal renal tubular flow: diuretics (potassium excretion), potassium loss nephritis.

C. Renal tubular acidosis.

D. Fanconi syndrome (Fanconi syndrome).

Increased potassium loss from the digestive tract: vomiting, diarrhea, colon cancer, villous adenocarcinoma, Zollinger-Ellison II syndrome (Zollinger-Ellison pancreatic ulcer), WDHA syndrome (watery diarrhea and hypokalemia Accompanied by islet cell adenoma syndrome), taking laxatives, etc.

sweating a lot.

Serum potassium

Excessive potassium supplementation: Oral (especially when the urine output of renal insufficiency decreases) or excessive potassium supplementation intravenously.

Potassium migration outside the cell: pseudohyperkalemia, acidosis, insulin deficiency, tissue necrosis, use of high-dose digitalis, periodic paralysis (hyperkalemia type), use of succinylcholine, etc.

decreased urinary potassium excretion: acute and chronic renal failure or decreased extracellular fluid volume.

Decreased corticosteroid activity: Addison's disease, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system insufficiency, pseudohypoaldosteronism, drugs (spironolactone), etc.