Routine physical examination for potassium?

Most routine basic health examination packages do not include blood potassium testing. Only targeted additional items, mid-to-high-end packages or exclusive screening packages for chronic diseases will include blood potassium as a required item.

Serum potassium is a core item in electrolyte testing. The reason why it is not included in the basic screening list is that the probability of abnormal blood potassium in healthy people with normal daily routine and diet is indeed low. The basic file of routine physical examination itself is a cost-effective screening of basic problems for generally healthy people. Items with low incidence and low cost-effectiveness of general screening will naturally not be prioritized. I met a 26-year-old girl before when I was helping to compile reports at the physical examination center. She went on a diet for three months to lose weight. She only ate boiled vegetables and drank a lot of black coffee every day to eliminate edema. She had no problems at all during the routine physical examination, but she always felt weak and sometimes I felt flustered even when sitting or standing up. Later, I took the initiative to ask the doctor to add electrolytes for 35 yuan. When the blood potassium was checked, it was only 3.2mmol/L, which was much lower than the normal value. I went back and followed the doctor's instructions, ate bananas for a few days, and took some potassium supplements, and I quickly recovered.

Nowadays, many general practitioners are urging that if you are a high-risk group for abnormal blood potassium, there is no need to wait for it to be included in the package. Even if you have a basic physical examination, it is best to actively add it. For example, hypertensive patients who have been taking antihypertensive diuretics for a long time, people with chronic kidney disease, people who are on a diet or ketogenic diet to lose weight, and fitness enthusiasts who often sweat a lot during high-intensity exercise. The probability of blood potassium fluctuations in these people is much higher than that of ordinary healthy people. And whether it is high potassium or low potassium, the first thing that affects it is the heart rhythm. In severe cases, it may even induce arrhythmia. A test worth dozens of dollars can avoid risks in advance, and the price/performance ratio is actually very high.

Of course, not all routine physical examinations do not include blood potassium. Many units purchase higher-level welfare packages for employees, or arrange elderly-specific physical examinations for retirees. Many of them will add a complete set of electrolytes. When you get the report, you can pay more attention to it. If you can’t find it, you can also ask the guide at the physical examination center. It is also very convenient to add items. There is no need to collect additional blood. The original blood sample can be used to test, eliminating the need for another injection. Speaking of which, some friends around me think that checking potassium is a fuss, but it is really not the case. I once had a fitness friend who drank pure water after training in the summer and did not replenish electrolytes. He went to the emergency room with hypokalemia and was paralyzed. The money spent is enough to check the blood potassium for a lifetime. If you really belong to a high-risk group, there is no harm in paying more attention to the next physical examination.