Addison's disease, diarrhoea, vomiting, naso-gastric aspiration, diuretics, chronic renal insufficiency. Reference Ranges are not available for random urine samples due to the massive variations resulting from dietary and other factors. The major intracellular cation. Potassium and Hydrogen ions compete for exchange with sodium ions in the renal tubules. Each sodium ion reabsorbed results in the loss of either a potassium or a hydrogen ion.
Alkalosis tends to lower potassium levels in the serum as it shifts into the cells.
The reverse applies in acidosis with raised serum levels as it shifts out of the cells. Irritability, nausea, vomiting, intestinal colic and diarrhoea. There are a large number of drugs that may cause hyperkalaemia. Haemolysis and delayed separation of serum from cells results in falsely raised levels of potassium. Addison's disease Hypoaldosteronism Aldosterone inhibiting diuretics eg.