Preferred Specimen(s) 2 mL urine
Instructions Collect without preservatives. Refrigerate during and after collection. Aliquot unpreserved specimen before adding acid.
Transport Container Plastic, screw cap container
Transport Temperature
- Ambient 7 days,
- Refrigerated, stable 7 day’s
Reject Criteria Received at room temperature
Methodology Ion Selective Electrode (ISE)
Clinical Significance
A urine test to check sodium levels is done to:
- Check the water and electrolyte balance of the body.
- Find the cause of symptoms from low or high levels of sodium.
- Check the progress of diseases of the kidneys or adrenal glands. Decreased levels are seen in congestive heart failure, excessive sweating, diarrhea, pyloric obstruction, malabsorption, and primary aldosteronism. Increased levels may be due to increased salt intake, failure of the adrenal glands, diabetic acidosis, salt losing renal disease, and water deficient dehydration.