Potassium; urine

Alternative names:

urine potassium

Normal values:

The normal range for a person on a regular diet is 25 to 120 mEq/L/day.

Note: mEq/L = milliequivalents per liter

What abnormal results mean:

Greater-than-normal urine potassium levels may indicate:

• acute tubular necrosis
• Cushing's syndrome (rare)
• diabetic acidosis
• hyperaldosteronism (very rare)
• renal tubular acidosis
• starvation
• eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia)

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• medullary cystic disease