Potassium Chloride

Electrolyte replacement, Potassium supplement

Potassium chloride

K-Dur, Klor-Con, Slow-K, Micro-K, K-Lyte/Cl

Experience

👥 No personal reports yet

⚕ No clinical reports yet

Log in to add your own experience.

Problems

No problems yet. Be the first to suggest one.

+ Add a problem

Titration strategies

No titration strategies yet. Be the first to suggest one.

+ Add a titration strategy

Effects

No effects listed yet. Be the first to suggest one.

+ Add an effect

Relevant anecdote

No anecdotes yet. Share a relevant one.

+ Add an anecdote

Relevant Literature

No literature entries yet.

Log in to submit relevant literature.

Summary

Classes

Electrolyte replacement, Potassium supplement

Pharmacy

Starting dose

10-20 mEq PO daily for prevention; treat established hypokalemia per measured deficit, typically 40-100 mEq/d in divided doses; IV 10 mEq/h peripheral, 20 mEq/h central with telemetry

Preparations

8, 10, 20, 25 mEq tablets/capsules (most ER); effervescent and oral solution; IV concentrate (must be diluted)

US FDA Max

IV peripheral 10 mEq/h (40 mEq/L); IV central 20 mEq/h with cardiac monitoring; PO single doses generally ≤40 mEq

Pharmacology

Routes

Oral, IV

Onset

Hours (PO); IV faster but rate-limited

Duration

Variable; depends on ongoing losses

Half-life

Not meaningfully described for an electrolyte; distribution between intra- and extracellular compartments is the relevant kinetic

Bioavailability

60-80% (oral)

Pregnancy

Generally safe at replacement doses; treat the underlying cause of hypokalemia.^{[citation needed]}

Legal status

Rx-only (higher concentrations and IV) and OTC (low-dose supplements) in US

Purported mechanism

Oral and intravenous potassium chloride replenish extracellular and total-body potassium; the chloride salt is preferred in metabolic alkalosis because it simultaneously addresses the typical co-existing chloride and volume deficit.▲0▼ Total body potassium is ~98% intracellular, so plasma K+ is a delayed and imperfect surrogate for whole-body status; magnesium repletion is often required for hypokalemia to correct. Rapid IV administration without dilution is a recognized cause of fatal arrhythmia and one of the most well-known medication-error patterns in hospital pharmacy.