Potassium Chloride

1) Take with meals and with a glass of water or other liquid. Swallow tablets whole without crushing, chewing or sucking. 1) Treatment of hypokalemia : Doses range from 40 to 100 mEq/day in divided doses. Limit doses to 40 mEq per dose.

2) Prevention of hypokalemia : Typical dose is 20 mEq per day. 5 mEq/L, use intravenous potassium instead of oral supplementation. Monitoring Monitor serum potassium and adjust dosages accordingly. Monitor serum potassium periodically during maintenance therapy to ensure potassium remains in desired range.

The treatment of potassium depletion, particularly in the presence of cardiac disease, renal disease, or acidosis, requires careful attention to acid-base balance, volume status, electrolytes, including magnesium, sodium, chloride, phosphate, and calcium, electrocardiograms, and the clinical status of the patient.

Correct volume status, acid-base balance, and electrolyte deficits as appropriate. Administration Take potassium chloride extended-release tablets with meals and with a glass of water or other liquid. 1 )] . Swallow tablets whole without crushing, chewing or sucking.

2 Dosing Dosage must be adjusted to the individual needs of each patient. Dosages greater than 40 mEq per day should be divided such that no more than 40 mEq is given in a single dose.

Treatment of Hypokalemia:

Typical dose range is 40 to 100 mEq per day.

Maintenance or Prophylaxis:

Typical dose range is 20 mEq per day.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions are nausea, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain/discomfort and diarrhea. gov/medwatch The following adverse reactions have been identified with use of oral potassium salts. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

The most common adverse reactions to oral potassium salts are nausea, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain/discomfort, and diarrhea. There have been reports hyperkalemia and of upper and lower gastrointestinal condition including obstruction, bleeding, ulceration, perforation.

Skin rash has been reported rarely.

1 Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions Solid oral dosage forms of potassium chloride can produce ulcerative and/or stenotic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly if the drug maintains contact with the gastrointestinal mucosa for prolonged periods.

Consider the use of liquid potassium in patients with dysphagia, swallowing disorders, or severe gastrointestinal motility disorders. If severe vomiting, abdominal pain, distention, or gastrointestinal bleeding occurs, discontinue potassium chloride extended-release tablets and consider possibility of ulceration, obstruction or perforation.

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4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Potassium chloride is contraindicated in patients on triamterene and amiloride. Concomitant use with triamterene and amiloride (4)