Table 3 Hazard ration (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for cause-specific and all-cause mortality among initially healthy men during 45 years of follow-up, by fasting level of potassium at baseline

Per mmol/L

1.90 (1.47–2.46)

1.78 (1.35–2.35)

1.41 (1.13–1.76)

1.37 (1.08–1.74)

1.67 (1.30–2.15)

1.65 (1.26–2.17)

1.62 (1.41–1.87)

1.57 (1.35–1.82)

Per SD^c

1.25 (1.14–1.37)

1.22 (1.11–1.35)

1.13 (1.04–1.22)

1.11 (1.03–1.21)

1.20 (1.10–1.31)

1.19 (1.08–1.31)

1.18 (1.13–1.24)

1.17 (1.11–1.23)

Excluding first 10 years of follow-up, per SD^c

1.25 (1.14–1.37)

1.23 (1.11–1.36)

1.12 (1.03–1.21)

1.11 (1.02–1.21)

1.20 (1.10–1.31)

1.20 (1.09–1.32)

1.18 (1.12–1.24)

1.17 (1.11–1.24)

Low (≤4.0 mmol/L)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

1.00 (ref.)

Middle (4.1–4.5 mmol/L)

1.64 (1.25–2.16)

1.53 (1.16–2.02)

1.20 (.98–1.48)

1.16 (.94–1.44)

1.17 (.93–1.48)

1.16 (.91–1.48)

1.31 (1.14–1.50)

1.25 (1.09–1.44)

High (≥4.6 mmol/L)

2.00 (1.48–2.70)

1.78 (1.30–2.42)

1.36 (1.08–1.73)

1.24 (.96–1.60)

1.52 (1.17–1.98)

1.41 (1.07–1.86)

1.57 (1.35–1.83)

1.43 (1.22–1.68)

P value for linear trend

<.001

.10

.01

<.0001