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What Does Potassium Level Of 5 .2 Indicate?
Question: My potassium is 5 .2. Is this serious?
Hello, It is borderline high. May be you could repeat it in 2-3 days, but I would advise you to see your doctor first as you may be on some drugs that can cause high potassium levels. If it is more than 6-6.5 , then patient is at risk of developing heart rhythm problems. Kind regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I received results after physical at md's office. Anything i can do to lower it
Brief Answer:
Kindly see below
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome back.
Thank you for your query. I understand your concerns.
As explained earlier your serum potassium is just borderline high, so nothing much to worry here.
One of the commonest causes of raised potassium is a false result. While taking the blood sample if your red blood cells break down, it can release potassium out and hence the sample tested will have high potassium levels. This is called a haemolysed sample. This just needs to be repeated.
As the report came from your doctor’s office, he must be aware of all the medications you are on that may be causing a raised potassium level. Some common drugs that can cause raised potassium are BP lowering medications like ACE-i (rampril, perindopril etc….these drugs end in “pril”), ARB (telmisartan, candesartan, etc…these drugs end in “sartan”), water tablets like spironolactone etc, pain killers like ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen etc.
So if are on any of the above medications, kindly discuss with your doctor. By just lowering the dose or changing to another drug, you potassium levels may fall.
Do you have any kidney problems? A patient with kidney problem cannot excrete the potassium; hence the level in blood rises. If you have any kidney problem, kindly discuss with your doctor again?
Di you have any recent lower urinary tract infection? This could be one of the causes.
Are you using “low salt” or “no salt” substitutes? These have low sodium but high potassium levels. If you do kindly stop them.
Some herbal preparations also have high potassium content. You could stop them too?
Some foods have high potassium levels-bananas, avocado, squash, apricots etc. Of course, you need to consume these foods in massive amounts if this is the only cause of your raised potassium. But in a person if a kidney problem, even a small amount of these potassium rich foods can cause elevated potassium.
As you potassium is only borderline, I would advise you to repeat in 2-3 days’ time. If the level falls, then nothing to worry, it the level increases than 5.2, then see your doctor, as there are some medications, that he can give you to reduce the potassium levels
I hope this answer has been helpful to you.
If you have any further queries you can ask again.
Regards
Dr Sunita Sayammagaru
Kindly see below
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome back.
Thank you for your query. I understand your concerns.
As explained earlier your serum potassium is just borderline high, so nothing much to worry here.
One of the commonest causes of raised potassium is a false result. While taking the blood sample if your red blood cells break down, it can release potassium out and hence the sample tested will have high potassium levels. This is called a haemolysed sample. This just needs to be repeated.
As the report came from your doctor’s office, he must be aware of all the medications you are on that may be causing a raised potassium level. Some common drugs that can cause raised potassium are BP lowering medications like ACE-i (rampril, perindopril etc….these drugs end in “pril”), ARB (telmisartan, candesartan, etc…these drugs end in “sartan”), water tablets like spironolactone etc, pain killers like ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen etc.
So if are on any of the above medications, kindly discuss with your doctor. By just lowering the dose or changing to another drug, you potassium levels may fall.
Do you have any kidney problems? A patient with kidney problem cannot excrete the potassium; hence the level in blood rises. If you have any kidney problem, kindly discuss with your doctor again?
Di you have any recent lower urinary tract infection? This could be one of the causes.
Are you using “low salt” or “no salt” substitutes? These have low sodium but high potassium levels. If you do kindly stop them.
Some herbal preparations also have high potassium content. You could stop them too?
Some foods have high potassium levels-bananas, avocado, squash, apricots etc. Of course, you need to consume these foods in massive amounts if this is the only cause of your raised potassium. But in a person if a kidney problem, even a small amount of these potassium rich foods can cause elevated potassium.
As you potassium is only borderline, I would advise you to repeat in 2-3 days’ time. If the level falls, then nothing to worry, it the level increases than 5.2, then see your doctor, as there are some medications, that he can give you to reduce the potassium levels
I hope this answer has been helpful to you.
If you have any further queries you can ask again.
Regards
Dr Sunita Sayammagaru
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
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