Potassium Chloride
Description
Potassium Chloride is used for the prevention or treatment of hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood). This medicine has potassium salts that disintegrate into potassium ions in your blood. Therefore, used for increasing potassium levels in your body.
Potassium Chloride may cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, and increased heart and stomach discomfort. Most of these are temporary and resolve on their own. Consult your doctor if these side effects are getting worse or persistent.
Potassium Chloride is available in many forms such as injection, tablet, capsule and oral solution. Injections forms of Potassium Chloride are given only when oral forms (tablets, capsules and solution) are not an option. Your doctor will decide your dose depending on your condition. Take the oral forms of Potassium Chloride at the same time every day to maintain a constant level of medicine in your body.
Potassium Chloride is not recommended if you are allergic to it or have severe kidney problems. Inform your doctor all about your current medications and existing medical conditions. This will help your doctor to adjust your dose to avoid side effects. If pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Potassium Chloride
- Nausea and vomiting
- Increased heart beat
- Chest pain and discomfort
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Increased potassium levels
Uses of Potassium Chloride
What is it prescribed for?
- Hypokalemia
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Potassium Chloride to show its action is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectThe duration of action of Potassium Chloride is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Potassium Chloride.
- Usage in pregnancy?Potassium Chloride is not recommended for use in pregnant women as not enough studies are done to understand its safety and efficacy. Consult with your doctor before using this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?It is not known whether Potassium Chloride passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding before using this medicine.
Kidney impairment
Potassium Chloride is not recommended for use if you have kidney problems as an impaired kidney will not be able to filter the medicine properly. This can increase the risk of toxicity.
Hyperkalemia
Potassium Chloride is not recommended if you have hyperkalemia (high blood potassium levels) as it can further increase your potassium levels which may worsen your condition.
Addison's disease
Potassium Chloride should not be used if you have Addison's disease (a disorder in which the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones) as it may worsen your condition. Your doctor may replace your medicine with another suitable medicine in such cases.
Allergy
Potassium Chloride is not recommended if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Potassium Chloride is not recommended for use in pregnant women as not enough studies are done to understand its safety and efficacy. Consult with your doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
It is not known whether Potassium Chloride passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding before using this medicine.
General warnings
Gastrointestinal irritation
In some cases of long-term treatment, Potassium Chloride has been reported to cause gastrointestinal irritation (discomfort in your stomach and intestines). Hence take this medicine with caution if you have stomach and intestines problems like acidity, diarrhoea, constipation, stomach ulcers, etc.
Dehydration
Potassium Chloride should be used with extreme caution if you have/had dehydration as it may alter the fluid balance in your body, worsening your condition. Your doctor will closely monitor your fluid levels and/or adjust your dose if required.
Missed Dose
Oral forms: Take the missed dose of Potassium Chloride as soon as you remember. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Parenteral forms: Since Potassium Chloride is usually administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical/hospital setting, the likelihood of a missed dose is very low.
Overdose
Oral forms: Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose of Potassium Chloride.
Parenteral forms: Since Potassium Chloride is administered in the hospital setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of an overdose is very less. However, emergency medical treatment will be initiated by the doctor if an overdose is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Aliskiren
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI's)
Spironolactone
Disease interactions
Disease
Information not available.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Oral forms: Take Potassium Chloride tablet/capsules with food. Drink plenty of water to avoid stomach problems and easy removal of kidney stones. Do not break, crush or chew the tablets. Take Potassium Chloride solution with water. Shake the bottle well before use.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date. Throw away the unused medicine safely. Keep it away from children and pets.
Do not take in larger amounts than prescribed. Consult the doctor if you experience any undesirable effects.
Parenteral forms: Potassium Chloride injection is usually administered in the clinical/hospital setting under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
Report all your current medicines as well as your medical conditions to the doctor before receiving this medicine.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Potassium Chloride helps to maintain potassium balance in the body by restoring normal potassium levels in depleted patients.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Minerals and electrolytes
Schedule
Schedule H
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Potassium Chloride Concentrate 15% - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. POTASSIUM CHLORIDE INJECTION. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - POTASSIUM CHLORIDE capsule, coated, extended release. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - POTASSIUM CHLORIDE EXTENDED-RELEASE- potassium chloride tablet, extended release. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - POTASSIUM CHLORIDE FOR ORAL SOLUTION powder, for solution. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - POTASSIUM CHLORIDE for solution. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - POTASSIUM CHLORIDE liquid. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 November 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 27 Jan 2023
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.