Potassium Chloride: Generic, Uses, Side Effects, Dosages, Interactions, Warnings (2024)

  • Uses
    • What Is Potassium Chloride and How Does It Work?
  • Dosage
    • What Are Dosages of Potassium Chloride?
  • Side Effects
    • What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Potassium Chloride?
  • Drug Interactions
    • What Other Drugs Interact with Potassium Chloride?
  • Warnings and Precautions
    • What Are Warnings and Precautions for Potassium Chloride?

What Is Potassium Chloride and How Does It Work?

Potassium chloride is used to treat and prevent low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia).

  • Potassium chloride is available under the following different brand and other names: KDur, Slow K, Kaon Cl 10, KCl, K10, Klor-Con M, Klor Con M10, Klor Con M15, Klor Con M20, KlorCon, Klotrix, KTab, MicroK, and K8.

What Are Dosages of Potassium Chloride?

Dosages of Potassium Chloride

Dosage Forms and Strengths

Tablet

  • 20 mEq

Tablet, extended-release

  • 8 mEq
  • 10 mEq
  • 15 mEq
  • 20 mEq

Capsules, extended-release

  • 8 mEq
  • 10 mEq

Injectable solution

  • 1 mEq/mL
  • 1.5 mEq/mL
  • 2 mEq/mL
  • 3 mEq/mL
  • 4 mEq/mL

Premix IV in plastic container

  • 10 mEq
  • 20 mEq
  • 30 mEq
  • 40 mEq

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows:

Hypokalemia

  • Adult: 20-40 mEq orally two to three times daily
  • Pediatric: 0.5-2 mEq/kg orally every 12 hours
  • Monitor closely: 0.5 mEq/kg/hour IV for 1-2 hours

Hypokalemia Prophylaxis

  • Start: 20 mEq orally once/day

Dosing considerations

  • Dosing varies; adjust to serum potassium levels

What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Potassium Chloride?

Common side effects of potassium_chloride include:

  • Arrhythmias
  • Bleeding
  • Diarrhea
  • Indigestion
  • High blood potassium (hyperkalemia)
  • Nausea
  • Rash
  • Vomiting

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects may occur. Call your doctor for information and medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What Other Drugs Interact with Potassium Chloride?

If your doctor has directed you to use this medication for your condition, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions or side effects and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of this medicine or any medicine before getting further information from your doctor, healthcare provider, or pharmacist first.

  • Potassium Chloride has no known severe interactions with other drugs.
  • Serious Interactions of potassium chloride include:
  • Potassium chloride has moderate interactions with at least 109 different drugs.
  • Potassium chloride has mild interactions with at least 32 different drugs.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your physician if you have health questions or concerns.

What Are Warnings and Precautions for Potassium Chloride?

Warnings

  • This medication contains potassium chloride. Do not take KDur, Slow K, Kaon Cl 10, KCl, K10, Klor-Con M, Klor Con M10, Klor Con M15, Klor Con M20, KlorCon, Klotrix, KTab, MicroK, or K8 if you are allergic to potassium chloride or any ingredients contained in this drug.
  • Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.

Contraindications

Effects of Drug Abuse

  • No information available

Short-Term Effects

  • See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Potassium Chloride?"

Long-Term Effects

  • See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Potassium Chloride?"

Cautions

Pregnancy and Lactation

  • Use potassium chloride during pregnancy with caution if the benefits outweigh the risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies are not available, or neither animal nor human studies were done.
  • No information is available about the use of potassium chloride while breastfeeding. Consult your doctor.

References

Medscape. Lamotrigine.
https://reference.medscape.com/drug/lamictal-lamotrigine-343012
RxList. Potassium Chloride Side Effects Drug Center.
https://reference.medscape.com/drug/kdur-slow-k-potassium-chloride-344450

Potassium Chloride: Generic, Uses, Side Effects, Dosages, Interactions, Warnings (2024)

FAQs

What is the drug interaction of potassium chloride? ›

Potassium Chloride has no known severe interactions with other drugs. Serious Interactions of potassium chloride include: amiloride. drospirenone.

What is the use of potassium chloride? ›

Potassium chloride is a supplement that can treat low potassium levels or hypokalemia. Potassium is a mineral present in most human cells. It is a type of electrolyte that helps with nerve function, muscle movement, heartbeat regulation, and more. Low potassium can cause hypokalemia, which can be serious.

What should you avoid when taking potassium chloride? ›

Low-sodium foods and salt substitutes should be avoided during your treatment with potassium chloride. These foods contain potassium, and eating them can increase the level of potassium in your blood.

Does potassium have any drug interactions? ›

People with hyperkalemia or kidney disease should not take potassium supplements. People who take ACE inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics, or a trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole antibiotic (Bactrim, Septra) should not take potassium.

What are the side effects of potassium chloride? ›

Potassium chloride side effects

stomach bloating, severe vomiting, severe stomach pain; high potassium level - nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement; or. signs of stomach bleeding - bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Who should avoid potassium chloride? ›

You should not use potassium chloride if you are allergic to it, or if: Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

What is the generic name for potassium chloride? ›

Potassium chloride is a prescription medication used to prevent and treat low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia). It's also known by its brand names, Klor-Con, Klor-Con M, and Klor-Con Sprinkle. Oral potassium chloride is available in many forms, including capsules, tablets, and oral solutions.

Is there a downside to taking potassium? ›

In some cases, too much potassium may cause muscle weakness, confusion, irregular heartbeat, or difficult breathing.

What hurts when your potassium is low? ›

Potassium deficiency (hypokalaemia) is when a person has abnormally low levels of potassium in their body. Some people with potassium deficiency don't experience any symptoms, but others will notice muscle weakness, muscle cramps and an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia).

What cancels out potassium? ›

Water pills (diuretics) help rid your body of extra potassium. They work by making your kidney create more urine. Potassium is normally removed through urine.

Is potassium chloride a high risk medication? ›

Comment. The risks associated with intravenous potassium chloride are well known. If it is injected too rapidly or in too high a dose, it may cause cardiac arrest within minutes. The effect of hyperkalaemia on the heart is complex – virtually any arrhythmia may be observed.

Can you take vitamin D with potassium chloride? ›

No interactions were found between potassium chloride and Vitamin D3. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Why can't you take potassium with blood pressure medication? ›

Medications for high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors) interacts with POTASSIUM. Some medications for high blood pressure can increase potassium levels. Taking potassium supplements along with some medications for high blood pressure might cause too much potassium in the body.

What drugs should you avoid potassium? ›

Several blood pressure medications, such as lisinopril (Zestril), losartan (Cozaar), and spironolactone (Aldactone) can also cause hyperkalemia. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as celecoxib (Celebrex) and immunosuppressants such as tacrolimus (Prograf) can also raise potassium levels.

What does potassium chloride do to the heart? ›

Conclusion: The administration of KCl before ischemia could reduce ventricular arrhythmias and reperfusion-induced injuries by reducing oxidative stress.

Which medication has a drug interaction with potassium? ›

Medications for high blood pressure (Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)) interacts with POTASSIUM.

What is the drug interaction of potassium iodide? ›

Some products that may interact with this drug are: ACE inhibitors (such as captopril, lisinopril), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs such as losartan, valsartan), certain "water pills" (potassium-sparing diuretics such as amiloride, spironolactone, triamterene), drospirenone, eplerenone, lithium, potassium- ...

Does potassium citrate have drug interactions? ›

Some products that may interact with this drug include: antacids that contain aluminum, aspirin and other salicylates (such as salsalate), certain blood pressure medications (including ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril, angiotensin blockers such as losartan), drospirenone, drugs that slow the movement of food/drugs ...

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