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InnovAiT 2008 1(5):397-402; doi:10.1093/innovait/inn051
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the RCGP. All rights reserved. For permissions please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Minimizing pseudohyperkalaemia in blood samples from general practice

Dr Edward Carabine

General Practitioner

E-mail: edwardcarabine{at}doctors.org.uk


  Abstract

A day in the life of a GP usually begins with the daily trawl through our email inbox to check the results of the blood tests. The assessment of renal function, with U + Es (i.e. urea, creatinine, sodium and potassium), will form a significant percentage of them. Severe hyperkalaemia is a life-threatening emergency as it may cause cardiac arrhythmias, leading to cardiac arrest. With these potentially catastrophic sequelae, urgent investigation and treatment of genuine hyperkalaemia is essential. Common causes of hyperkalaemia include renal failure, metabolic acidosis and drugs (e.g. potassium sparing diuretics, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and excess potassium therapy). However, a well recognized cause of raised serum potassium is pseudohyperkalaemia.


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