Potassium Chloride

Potassium Chloride Brand Names

Cena K | ED-K+10 | Epiklor | K Plus | K Plus Care | K-10 | K-8 | Kaon-CL | Kay Ciel | K-Dur | K-Lor | Klor-Con | Klor-Con M10 | Klor-Con M15 | Klor-Con M20 | Klotrix | K-Lyte CL | K-Sol | K-Tab | Micro-K | Micro-K Extencaps | PROAMP | Rum-K | Slow-K | Tri-K

What is Potassium Chloride

Potassium is the primary intracellular cation. It plays a major role in muscle and nerve cell electrodynamics. Its concentration inside the cell (roughly 150 to 160 mEq/L) is 25 to 35 times greater than extracellular concentrations.

Hypokalemia is generally defined as a serum potassium concentration less than 3.5 mEq/liter.

However, the National Council on Potassium in Clinical Practice recommends that serum potassium concentrations of at least 4 mEq/L be achieved and maintained in patients with hypertension, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias.

In addition, the Council recommends potassium supplementation for patients at risk for developing hypokalemia and associated complications (e.g., patients with potential for diuretic-induced potassium loss, patients sensitive to sodium or with high sodium intake, and patients with reduced GI intake or GI disturbances [e.g., vomiting, diarrhea]).

Due to the potential to cause significant harm when used in error, strictly adhere to dilution and administration guidelines for intravenous potassium chloride

Indications

1. diabetic ketoacidosis
2. digoxin toxicity
3. hypokalemia
4. hypokalemia prevention
5. nutritional supplementation

Side Effects

1. abdominal pain
2. aluminum toxicity
3. anaphylactoid reactions
4. angioedema
5. anxiety
6. arrhythmia exacerbation
7. asystole
8. AV block
9. bradycardia
10. cardiac arrest
11. chest pain (unspecified)
12. chills
13. confusion
14. diarrhea
15. dysphagia
16. dyspnea
17. encephalopathy
18. erythema
19. esophageal stricture
20. esophageal ulceration
21. esophagitis
22. fatigue
23. fever
24. flatulence
25. GI bleeding
26. GI obstruction
27. GI perforation
28. glycosuria
29. hyperglycemia
30. hyperkalemia
31. hypervolemia
32. hyponatremia
33. hyporeflexia
34. hypotension
35. infection
36. injection site reaction
37. lethargy
38. metabolic acidosis
39. muscle paralysis
40. nausea
41. odynophagia
42. paresthesias
43. phlebitis
44. rash
45. seizures
46. skin necrosis
47. skin ulcer
48. thrombosis
49. tissue necrosis
50. ventricular fibrillation
51. vomiting
52. weakness

Monitoring Parameters

• ECG
• serum bicarbonate
• serum chloride
• serum creatinine/BUN
• serum potassium

Contraindications

• adrenal insufficiency
• atrial fibrillation
• atrial flutter
• AV block
• breast-feeding
• burns
• cardiac arrhythmias
• children
• dehydration
• diabetic ketoacidosis
• digitalis toxicity
• electrolyte imbalance
• encephalopathy
• esophageal stricture
• extravasation
• gastroparesis
• geriatric
• GI obstruction
• heart failure
• hyperkalemia
• hypervolemia
• hyponatremia
• ileus
• metabolic acidosis
• muscle channelopathy
• peptic ulcer disease
• peripheral edema
• pregnancy
• premature neonates
• pulmonary disease
• pulmonary edema
• renal disease
• renal failure
• renal impairment
• thrombophlebitis
• ventricular arrhythmias
• ventricular fibrillation
• ventricular tachycardia

Potassium chloride is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any potassium formulation.

Interactions

• Acetaminophen; Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine
• Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Magnesium Salicylate; Phenyltoloxamine
• Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Phenyltoloxamine; Salicylamide
• Aliskiren
• Aliskiren; Amlodipine
• Aliskiren; Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Aliskiren; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Aliskiren; Valsartan
• Aluminum Hydroxide
• Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Carbonate
• Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Hydroxide
• Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Hydroxide; Simethicone
• Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Trisilicate
• Amiloride
• Amiloride; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Aminosalicylate sodium, Aminosalicylic acid
• Amlodipine; Benazepril
• Amlodipine; Celecoxib
• Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Olmesartan
• Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Valsartan
• Amlodipine; Olmesartan
• Amlodipine; Telmisartan
• Amlodipine; Valsartan
• Ammonium Chloride
• Angiotensin II receptor antagonists
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
• Anticholinergics
• Aspirin, ASA
• Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine
• Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
• Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
• Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Orphenadrine
• Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol
• Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol; Codeine
• Aspirin, ASA; Citric Acid; Sodium Bicarbonate
• Aspirin, ASA; Dipyridamole
• Aspirin, ASA; Omeprazole
• Aspirin, ASA; Oxycodone
• Aspirin, ASA; Pravastatin
• Atropine
• Atropine; Benzoic Acid; Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate
• Atropine; Difenoxin
• Atropine; Diphenoxylate
• Atropine; Edrophonium
• Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine
• Azelastine; Fluticasone
• Azilsartan
• Azilsartan; Chlorthalidone
• Beclomethasone
• Belladonna Alkaloids; Ergotamine; Phenobarbital
• Belladonna; Opium
• Benazepril
• Benazepril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Benzoic Acid; Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate
• Benzphetamine
• Benztropine
• Betamethasone
• Bismuth Subsalicylate
• Bismuth Subsalicylate; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
• Budesonide
• Budesonide; Formoterol
• Calcium Carbonate
• Calcium Carbonate; Magnesium Hydroxide
• Calcium Carbonate; Risedronate
• Calcium Carbonate; Simethicone
• Candesartan
• Candesartan; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Captopril
• Captopril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Celecoxib
• Chlordiazepoxide; Clidinium
• Chlorpropamide
• Choline Salicylate; Magnesium Salicylate
• Ciclesonide
• Colchicine
• Colchicine; Probenecid
• Corticosteroids
• Cortisone
• Cyclosporine
• Deflazacort
• Dexamethasone
• Dextromethorphan; Quinidine
• Diclofenac
• Diclofenac; Misoprostol
• Dicyclomine
• Diflunisal
• Digoxin
• Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
• Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
• Donepezil; Memantine
• Drospirenone
• Drospirenone; Estradiol
• Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol
• Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol; Levomefolate
• Enalapril, Enalaprilat
• Enalapril; Felodipine
• Enalapril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Ephedrine
• Eplerenone
• Eprosartan
• Eprosartan; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Esomeprazole; Naproxen
• Etodolac
• Famotidine; Ibuprofen
• Fenoprofen
• Flavoxate
• Flecainide
• Fludrocortisone
• Flunisolide
• Flurbiprofen
• Fluticasone
• Fluticasone; Salmeterol
• Fluticasone; Umeclidinium; Vilanterol
• Fluticasone; Vilanterol
• food
• Formoterol; Mometasone
• Fosinopril
• Fosinopril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
• Glycopyrrolate
• Glycopyrrolate; Formoterol
• Heparin
• Homatropine; Hydrocodone
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Irbesartan
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Lisinopril
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Losartan
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Moexipril
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Olmesartan
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Quinapril
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Spironolactone
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Telmisartan
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Triamterene
• Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Valsartan
• Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
• Hydrocortisone
• Hyoscyamine
• Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate; Sodium Biphosphate
• Ibuprofen
• Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
• Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
• Indacaterol; Glycopyrrolate
• Indomethacin
• Irbesartan
• Ketoprofen
• Ketorolac
• Lansoprazole; Naproxen
• Lisdexamfetamine
• Lisinopril
• Lithium
• Loperamide
• Loperamide; Simethicone
• Losartan
• Magnesium Salicylate
• Meclofenamate Sodium
• Mefenamic Acid
• Meloxicam
• Memantine
• Mepenzolate
• Methamphetamine
• Methenamine
• Methenamine; Sodium Acid Phosphate
• Methenamine; Sodium Acid Phosphate; Methylene Blue; Hyoscyamine
• Methscopolamine
• Methylprednisolone
• Moexipril
• Mometasone
• Nabumetone
• Naproxen
• Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
• Naproxen; Sumatriptan
• Nebivolol; Valsartan
• Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs
• Olmesartan
• Oxaprozin
• Oxybutynin
• Penicillin G
• Perindopril
• Perindopril; Amlodipine
• Piroxicam
• Prednisolone
• Prednisone
• Propantheline
• Quinapril
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Ramipril
• Rofecoxib
• Sacubitril; Valsartan
• Salicylates
• Salsalate
• Scopolamine
• Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
• Spironolactone
• Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim, SMX-TMP, Cotrimoxazole
• Sulindac
• Tacrolimus
• Telmisartan
• Tolmetin
• Tolvaptan
• Trandolapril
• Trandolapril; Verapamil
• Triamcinolone
• Triamterene
• Trientine
• Trihexyphenidyl
• Trimethoprim
• Valdecoxib
• Valsartan