Comparison of Plasma and Serum Electrolyte Levels In Patients Attending Emergency Out Patient Department of a Tertiary Health Care Level Institute of North India

Introduction: Electrolyte abnormalities are one of the common reversible causes of morbidity. Inaccurate sodium results can lead to inappropriate fluid administration which can result in hypernatremia and abnormal levels of potassium can cause bradycardia, asystole and cardiac arrest. Fluctuation in potassium levels is also well-documented 1 during the course of cardiac resuscitation. Accurate estimation of electrolytes has gained additional importance in diagnosis of etiology of various pathologies, because it is used to calculate anion gap. e turnaround time for electrolytes should be low, so that early management of electrolyte abnormalities can be done. In routine manner, electrolytes are measured in serum obtained from venous 1 blood which is analysed by an electrolyte analyser.