title: Understanding serum electrolytes. How to avoid mistakes.
abstract: Serum electrolyte levels by themselves may be difficult to interpret. For example, an abnormal serum potassium concentration cannot be understood without taking into account the patient's history, other serum electrolyte values, and possibly results of other laboratory tests. Knowledge of the principles of serum electrolyte concentrations, therefore, is an important adjuvant to understanding their implications.
authors.affiliation: Ambulatory Care Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albuquerque, NM 87108.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Kapsner
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Tzamaloukas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D004573:Electrolytes