Potassium Chloride

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Contents 1 Indications 2 Contraindications 3 Dosage 4 Pharmacokinetics 5 Adverse-effects 6 Drug-interactions 7 More General Terms 8 Additional Terms 9 Internet Database 10 References

Indications

• prevention & treatment of hypokalemia

Contraindications

• severe renal impairment
• hyperkalemia
• severe tissue trauma

Dosage

• normal daily requirement

• adults: 40-80 meq/day
• children: 2-3 meq/kg/day
• infants: 2-6 meq/kg/day

• intravenous:

• maximum concentration for a peripheral line is 10 meq/100 mL @ 10 meq/ hr
• maximum conentration for a central line is 20 meq/100 mL @ 20 meq/ hr
• electrocardiogram should be closely monitored when the rate exceeds 20 meq/ hr

• Tablets:

*  6.7 meq  Kaon-Cl 
*    8 meq  Klor-Con, Slow-K, Micro-K 
*   10 meq  Kaon-Cl, Klor-Con, Klotrix, K-Tab, K-dur, Ten-K,  
*           Micro-K 
*   20 meq  K-Dur

Liquids:

• use liquid for patients with esophageal compression or delayed gastric emptying time
• 10%: (20 meq/15 mL) Cena-K, Kaochlor, Kay Ciel, Klorvess, Kaon (120 mL, 480 mL, 960 mL)
• 20%: (40 meq/15 mL) Cena-K, Kaon- Cl (120 mL, 480 mL) Powders:
• 15 meq/pack K-Lor
• 20 meq/pack Kato, Kay Ciel K-Lor, Klor-Con, Micro-K LS, Klorvess
• 25 meq/pack K-Lyte- Cl, Klor-Con

• Injection: 2 meq/mL (10 mL, 20 mL)

Pharmacokinetics

• well-absorbed after oral administration
• eliminated mainly by the kidneys

Adverse-effects

• common (> 10%)

• diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, epigastric pain, flatulence

• less common (1-10%)

• hyperkalemia, bradycardia, dyspnea, weakness, local tissue necrosis with extravasation, pain at site of injection

• uncommon (< 1%)

• chest pain, throat pain, abdominal pain, phlebitis, paresthesia, paralysis, confusion, alkalosis

• other

• arrhythmia

Drug-interactions

• potassium-sparing diuretics in combination increase K+ levels
• ACE inhibitors in combination increase K+ levels
• no convincing evidence that anticholinergics increase risk of GI irritation by KCl

More General Terms

• salt
• metabolic agent (metabolic modifier)

Additional Terms

• hypokalemia

Internet Database

PubChem: 24015
PubChem: 4873

References

1. Drug Information & Medication Formulary, Veterans Affairs, Central California Health Care System, 1st ed., Ravnan et al eds, 1998
2. Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug Formulary, 1998
3. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA National Formulary
4. Prescriber's Letter 18(10): 2011 Potassium and Anticholinergic Drug Interaction Detail-Document#: [1] (subscription needed) [2]

potassium chloride (KCl, Klor Con, Kaon-Cl, Slow-K, Micro-K, Klotrix, K Tab, K Dur, Ten-K, Cen-K, Kaochlor, Kay Ciel, K Lor, Kato, Klorvess, Kaon, K Lyte Cl)