Potassium is an essential nutrient that is vital to heart, muscle and digestive health. Along with sodium, magnesium and calcium, potassium is an electrolyte, a type of mineral that carries electric charges through your body as it regulates fluid balances and organ function. High potassium readings in your blood and urine can be dangerous to your health and must be addressed by a medical care provider.
Normal Potassium Values
Potassium levels are assessed differently through blood and urine, though they both use the same technical measurement of milliequivalents per liter, abbreviated as mEq/L. Normal blood potassium levels range from 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L. Potassium in the urine is considered normal at 25 to 120 mEq/L each day. The University of California at San Francisco Medical Center points out that your urine potassium level may vary daily based on the concentration of potassium found in foods you've eaten recently.
Testing Methods
Testing for high potassium can be performed either by a one-time blood draw or a 24-hour urine collection. Blood testing is generally accurate to diagnose hyperkalemia, the medical term for the condition of high potassium levels; urine testing may be used to determine how much potassium is being excreted into the urine, according to a January 2006 issue of "American Family Physician."
A 24-hour urine collection consists of literally collecting all of your urine output for that time period. On the day you begin your collection, you urinate into the toilet upon waking. After that point, each time you urinate during the day, void directly into a container you've been given for that purpose. Store the container in the refrigerator. The next day, your first urination of the morning will be in the container, which concludes the collection. Your doctor will give you directions about labeling the collection and delivering it to the lab.
Causes of Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia can stem from many different medical conditions. A variety of medications can cause your potassium levels to increase and measure as such through both blood and urine tests. Diuretics, the anticoagulant medication heparin and certain ACE inhibitors may all lead to higher-than-normal potassium levels. Kidney disease is another common cause for hyperkalemia; decreased kidney function often means the organ can't filter out as much potassium as it should, so it stays in your body. Adrenal disorders and autoimmune diseases like lupus can also cause high potassium levels.
Treatment for High Potassium
Treatment for high blood and urine potassium levels varies, depending on the cause. Addressing underlying medical conditions may be enough to drop your potassium levels back to normal ranges. Part of your treatment for high blood or urine potassium levels is to watch your diet and avoid eating foods that are very high in the nutrient, including bananas, oranges, raisins, tomatoes, potatoes and milk. Severe cases, referred to as acute hyperkalmia, can require intravenous administration of calcium, insulin and other fluids to stabilize your electrolyte levels and to prevent possibly dangerous complications.
Complications
A serious complication associated with hyperkalemia, especially acute cases, is the risk of heart arrhythmias, or abnormal heart-beating patterns. The "American Family Physician" reports that patients with high urine or blood potassium measurements may also show abnormal changes on an EKG when heart activity is measured. Restoring potassium to normal levels can take the strain off of your heart.
