Potassium Bicarbonate

Potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate is used to prevent and treat low blood potassium (hypokalemia) and in patients with chronic renal disease or any condition impairing potassium excretion requires careful monitoring.

Potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate is available under the following different brand names: Klor-Con/EF, K-Lyte, K-Lyte DS, K-Prime, and Effer-K.

Dosage Forms and Strengths

Doses expressed as mEq of potassium

Tablet for Oral Solution

• 10 mEq
• 20 mEq
• 25 mEq

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows:

Daily Requirements

• 40-100 mEq/day or 1-2 mEq/kg/day

Hypokalemia

• Prevention: 10-80 mEq/day orally once daily or divided four times daily
• Treatment: 40–100 mEq/day dissolved in at least 4 ounces (per tablet) cold water orally divided two or four times daily
• Divide doses so that single doses are not greater than 25 mEq to avoid gastrointestinal adverse effects

Renal Impairment

• Use in patients with chronic renal disease or any condition impairing potassium excretion requires careful monitoring

Hepatic Impairment

• No dosage adjustments listed by the manufacturer

Dose Considerations

• If hypokalemia is result of diuretic therapy, consider lowering diuretic dose
• Proper dilution lessens the possibility of gastrointestinal irritation
• Safety and efficacy not established in pediatric patients

Side effects of potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate include:

• High blood potassium (hyperkalemia)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Gas (flatulence)
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Diarrhea

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider or pharmacist first.

• Potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate has no listed severe interactions with other drugs.
   
• Serious interactions of potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate include:
  • drospirenone
  • potassium acid phosphate
  • potassium chloride
  • potassium phosphates, IV
  • spironolactone
  • triamterene
• Moderate interactions of potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate include:
  • acebutolol
  • amantadine
  • amiloride
  • arformoterol
  • aspirin
  • aspirin rectal
  • aspirin/citric acid/sodium bicarbonate
  • atenolol
  • benazepril
  • betaxolol
  • bisacodyl
  • bisoprolol
  • bumetanide
  • canagliflozin
  • candesartan
  • captopril
  • carvedilol
  • celecoxib
  • chlorothiazide
  • chlorthalidone
  • choline magnesium trisalicylate
  • cyclopenthiazide
  • cyclosporine
  • deferiprone
  • diclofenac
• Potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate has mild interactions with at least 26 different drugs.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your physician if you have health questions or concerns.

Warnings
This medication contains potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate. Do not take Klor-Con/EF, K-Lyte, K-Lyte DS, K-Prime, or Effer-K if you are allergic to potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate or any ingredients contained in this drug.

Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.

Contraindications

• Patients with high blood potassium (hyperkalemia)
• Hypersensitivity to any component of product
• Concomitant use with potassium sparring diuretics or potassium supplements

Effects of Drug Abuse

• No information available

Short-Term Effects

• See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Potassium Bicarbonate/Potassium Citrate?”

Long-Term Effects

• See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Potassium Bicarbonate/Potassium Citrate?”

Cautions

• Hyperkalemia may complicate chronic renal failure, systemic acidosis, acute dehydration, extensive tissue breakdown as in severe burns, adrenal insufficiency or administration of potassium-sparing diuretics
• Use caution in patients with acid/base alterations
• Use caution in patients with cardiovascular disease
• Use alkalinizing potassium salts in patients with hypokalemia that have metabolic acidosis concomitantly
• Digitalized patients may be more susceptible to potentially life-threatening cardiac effects

Pregnancy and Lactation

Use potassium bicarbonate/potassium citrate with caution during pregnancy if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies are not available or neither animal nor human studies were done.