Potassium (K) in Urine

Urinary Potassium

Why It Is Done

A urine test to check potassium levels is done to:

• Check levels in people being treated with medicines, such as diuretics and for people having kidney dialysis.
• Check how well the kidneys are working.
• Check to see whether treatment for low or high potassium levels is working.
• Check people with high blood pressure who may have a problem with their kidneys or adrenal glands.
• Check the effects of extra nutrition (total parenteral nutrition [TPN]) on potassium levels.
• Check to see whether certain cancer treatments are causing too many cells to be destroyed (cell lysis). Cell lysis syndrome causes very high levels of some electrolytes, including potassium.

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Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: September 18, 2008
Medical Review:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology
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