Evaluating the Utility of Rapid Point-of-Care Potassium Testing for the Early Identification of Hyperkalemia in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in the Emergency Department

Purpose Severe hyperkalemia leads to significant morbidity and mortality if it is not immediately recognized and treated. The concentration of potassium (K+) in the serum increases along with deteriorating renal function. The use of point-of-care K+ (POC-K+) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) could reduce the time for an accurate diagnosis and treatment, saving lives. We hypothesized that POC-K+ would accurately report K+ serum level without significant differences compared to reference testing, regardless of the renal function of the patient.