Abnormal circulating potassium concentration Pseudohyperkalemia 2023-09-17T14:26:14Z Pseudohyperkalemia describes a falsely elevated potassium level upon measurement of the serum electrolyte concentration due to disruption of cells during the collection or processing of the sample. Pseudohyperkalemia is an elevation of potassium in the serum that results during collection, storage, or handling of a blood sample, and is not representative of the potassium level in vivo. Pseudohyperkalemia can result from increased tourniquet tension, increased pressure from a patient's fist being clenched, or mechanical lysis of hematocytes during pneumatic tube delivery of samples to the laboratory or the centrifugation process.