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Electrolyte Profile
Electrolyte Profile Test Includes 3 testsView All
You need to provide
Blood
This test is for
Male, Female
Test Preparation
Overview
What is Electrolyte Profile?
An electrolyte panel consists of the evaluation of your blood levels of sodium, potassium and chloride. It may be ordered as part of a routine screening or as a diagnostic aid when you have symptoms, such as edema, nausea, weakness, confusion, or cardiac arrhythmias which might suggest an electrolyte imbalance. It is frequently ordered as part of an evaluation when you are hospitalized for an acute or chronic illness. Electrolyte tests are commonly used to monitor treatment of certain problems, including high blood pressure (hypertension), heart failure, and liver and kidney disease.
Why is Electrolyte Profile done?
- If you have signs or symptoms suggesting an electrolyte imbalance like edema, nausea, vomiting, confusion, irregolar heart beat
- If you are hospitalized for severe acute or chronic illness
- It is frequently ordered at regolar intervals to monitor treatment of conditions like high blood pressure, heart failure, kidney disease or lung disease
- As a part of basic metabolic panel or electrolyte panel
Interpreting Electrolyte Profile results
Interpretations
- Low levels of sodium (hyponatremia) may be due to loosing too much sodium such as in diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, heart failure or kidney disease while the most common cause of high sodium level (hypernatremia) is dehydration
- Low levels of potassium (hypokalemia) is usually due to diarrhea and vomiting while high potassium level (hyperkalemia) may be seen in kidney disease, Addison disease, dehydration
- Low levels of chloride can be seen in Cushing syndrome or congestive heart failure while high levels may be seen dehydration, kidney dise
Tests Included (3 tests)
- Chloride
- Potassium
- Sodium
