Adult Dosing

Prophylaxis of hypokalemia

• 25 mEq PO daily

Treatment of hypokalemia

• 50 mEq -100 mEq/day in divided doses after meals depending on potassium needs

Pediatric Dosing

• Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established

[Outline]

• Adult Dosing
• Pediatric Dosing

• Treatment of patients with hypokalemia with or without metabolic alkalosis
• In digitalis intoxication and in patients with hypokalemic familial periodic paralysis
• Prevention of potassium depletion when the dietary intake of potassium is inadequate in the following conditions; patients receiving digitalis and diuretics for congestive heart failure; hepatic cirrhosis with ascites; states of aldosterone excess with normal renal function; potassium-losing nephropathy, and certain diarrheal states.

• Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients of the product
• Hyperkalemia
• Chronic renal disease
• Acute dehydration
• Heat cramps
• Severe tissue destruction
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Familial periodic paralysis
• Acidosis
• Esophageal compression due to enlarged left atrium
• Decreased GI motility

• N/A

Renal Dose Adjustment

• Renal impairment: Use with caution

Hepatic Dose Adjustment

• Hepatic impairment: Dose adjustments not defined

• Hyperkalemia and cardiac arrest may occur in patients with impaired mechanisms for excreting potassium. Potentially fatal asymptomatic hyperkalemia can occur rapidly
• Carefully monitor serum potassium concentration and consider appropriate dosage adjustment in patients with chronic renal disease, or any other condition which impairs potassium excretion
• Avoid treating hypokalemia by the concomitant administration of potassium salts and a potassium-sparing diuretic
• Administer potassium supplements to patients receiving ACE inhibitors only with close monitoring
• Asymptomatic hyperkalemia is manifested only by an increased serum potassium concentration (6.5-8.0 mEq/L) and characteristic electrocardiographic changes (peaking of T-waves, loss of P-wave, depression of S-T segment and prolongation of the QT interval). Late manifestations include muscle paralysis and cardiovascular collapse
• Consider appropriate treatment measures for hyperkalemia; digitalis toxicity has occurred as a result of too rapid lowering of the serum potassium concentration in patients stabilized on digitalis
• Monitor Cr at baseline, and in geriatric patients consider periodically
• Determine acid-base balance, electrolytes, ECG particularly if acidosis, cardiac disease, renal disease, or decreased K excretion

Cautions: Use cautiously in

• Renal impairment
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Acidosis
• Dehydration
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Hypomagnesemia
• GI hypomotility including dysphagia or esophageal compression from left atrial enlargement
• Extensive tissue breakdown
• Patients receiving potassium-sparing drugs

Pregnancy Category:C

Breastfeeding: Probably safe; as many drugs are excreted in breast milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from oral potassium supplements exists, manufacturer advises to make a decision whether to discontinue nursing or drug considering the importance of the drug to the mother.

• CNS: Confusion, restlessness, weakness
• NEURO: Paralysis, paresthesia
• CV: Arrhythmias, ECG changes
• GI: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, GI ulceration, stenotic lesions

• Electrolyte; principal intracellular cation, maintains intracellular tonicity, transmission of nerve impulses, contraction of cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle and normal renal function
• Absorbed from GI tract
• Metabolism: Unknown
• Excreted in urine
• Half-life: Unknown

US Trade Name(s)

• K+Care ET
• K-Electrolyte
• K-Ide
• K-Lyte
• K-Vescent
• Klor-Con/EF

US Availability

K+Care ET, K-Electrolyte, K-Ide, K-Lyte, K-Vescent, Klor-Con/EF

• Effervescent TABS: 25 mEq

Canadian Trade Name(s)

• N/A

Canadian Availability

• N/A

UK Trade Name(s)

• N/A

UK Availability

• N/A

Australian Trade Name(s)

• N/A

Australian Availability

• N/A

[Outline]

Nutrition/Electrolytes

Minerals & Electrolytes

Pricing data from www.DrugStore.com in U.S.A.

• Klor-Con/EF 25 MEQ TBEF [Box] (UPSHER-SMITH)
  30 meq = $25.99
  90 meq = $60.97

Warning: This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.