How Potassium appears on your report
Look for Potassium. The result is normally shown in mmol/L, next to the reference interval used by the laboratory that ran the test.
Note the collection date before you compare it with anything, along with the context that matters for this marker: kidney function, medicines, dehydration and sample collection can affect it. A damaged blood sample can make it appear falsely high.
Potassium range in Australia
The harmonised Australian adult reference interval for Potassium is 3.5–5.2 mmol/L. Vector tracks against a tighter optimal range of 3.6–5.0 mmol/L.
Vector’s optimal range is the band the app tracks against and the one printed in the doctor report. Why the two differ. Reference interval source: AACB / RCPA Common Reference Intervals.
What to read alongside Potassium
A single marker rarely explains itself. These results are commonly interpreted together with Potassium, and Vector keeps them within reach of each other as your record grows.
Tracking Potassium over time
One Potassium result is a single point. Import the report into Vector, check the extracted value, unit and collection date, and it becomes the start of a series instead — with each later report adding a dated point you can actually compare against.
Further reading
Potassium is read the same way every other result on the report is. These two guides cover that method rather than this marker:
- How to read an Australian pathology report — A practical guide to dates, units, reference intervals and the context that belongs beside an Australian pathology result.
- Pathology report reference ranges: what they mean — Understand the laboratory interval, Australian guidance and the product context Vector adds to a result over time.
Common questions
What is the optimal Potassium level?
Vector treats 3.6–5.0 mmol/L as the optimal range for Potassium. That band is tighter than the harmonised Australian reference interval, so a result can clear the laboratory range and still sit outside Vector's target.
What is the normal range for Potassium in Australia?
The harmonised Australian adult reference interval for Potassium is 3.5–5.2 mmol/L. This interval is harmonised across participating Australian and New Zealand laboratories, so it does not change between providers.
What unit is Potassium reported in on Australian pathology reports?
Potassium is usually reported in mmol/L on Australian pathology reports. The performing laboratory prints a reference interval in the same unit beside the result, and that interval is the one that governs your individual result.
What can change your Potassium result?
Kidney function, medicines, dehydration and sample collection can affect it. A damaged blood sample can make it appear falsely high.
Sources
- RCPA Manual: PotassiumAustralian pathology reference for this test and related result context.
- Kidney Health Australia: eGFRAustralian consumer context for kidney filtration and follow-up.
Published 2 August 2026 · Updated 3 August 2026 · Author Vector