Adult Dosing

Prevention of hypokalemia

• 25 mEq PO qd

Treatment of potassium depletion

• 25 mEq-100 mEq PO qd-qid after meals

Pediatric Dosing

• Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established

• Treatment of patients with hypokalemia, with or without metabolic alkalosis
• In digitalis intoxication
• In patients with hypokalemic familial periodic paralysis
• Prevention of hypokalemia in patients having risk for development of hypokalemia (e.g. digitalized patients or patients with significant cardiac arrhythmias)

• Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients of the product
• Patients with hyperkalemia
• Delayed GI transit
• Esophageal stricture
• GI obstruction

• N/A

Renal Dose Adjustment

• Renal impairment: Use with caution

Hepatic Dose Adjustment

• Hepatic impairment: Dose adjustments not defined

See Supplemental Patient Information

• 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
• Acidosis
• Dehydration
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Extensive tissue breakdown

Supplemental Patient Information

• Instruct patients to adhere to dosing schedule; especially important if the patient is also taking diuretics and/or digitalis preparations

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.

• METABOLIC: Hyperkalemia
• CV: Arrhythmias
• GI: GI obstruction, GI bleeding, GI ulceration, GI perforation, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain/discomfort, diarrhea

Potassium bicarbonate

• 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

Potassium citrate

• 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)

• Klor-con/EF

US Availability

Klor-con/EF (bicarbonate/citrate)

• EFFER TABS: 2.5 g/2.1 g

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

Nutrition/Electrolytes

Minerals & Electrolytes