Potassium is a micronutrient that constitutes about 5% of the body’s total minerals. It is involved in cell volume regulation and neuromuscular activity.
Its blood level (potassemia) can be measured by a blood test.
The concentration of potassium in the blood may become elevated (hyperpotassemia or hyperkalemia) in some diseases, eventually resulting in cardiac disorders. Kidney failure and diseases of the adrenal glands are among the possible causes of hyperpotassemia.
In some cases, during cancer treatment, the tumor cells can be destroyed very quickly, suddenly increasing the amount of nutrients in the blood, among them potassium. This situation is called tumor lysis syndrome.
