Potassium Supplements (Systemic)

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For potassium supplements, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to potassium preparations. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Potassium supplements have not been shown to cause problems in humans.

Breast-feeding - Potassium supplements pass into breast milk. However, this medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of potassium supplements in children with use in other age groups, they are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than they do in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of potassium supplements in the elderly with use in other age groups, they are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than they do in younger adults.

Older adults may be at a greater risk of developing high blood levels of potassium (hyperkalemia).

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking potassium supplements, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amantadine (e.g., Symmetrel) or
• Anticholinergics (medicine for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps) or
• Antidepressants (medicine for depression) or
• Antidyskinetics (medicine for Parkinson's disease or other conditions affecting control of muscles) or
• Antihistamines or
• Antipsychotic medicine (medicine for mental illness) or
• Buclizine (e.g., Bucladin) or
• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Cyclizine (e.g., Marezine) or
• Cyclobenzaprine (e.g., Flexeril) or
• Disopyramide (e.g., Norpace) or
• Flavoxate (e.g., Urispas) or
• Ipratropium (e.g., Atrovent) or
• Meclizine (e.g., Antivert) or
• Methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin) or
• Orphenadrine (e.g., Norflex) or
• Oxybutynin (e.g., Ditropan) or
• Procainamide (e.g., Pronestyl) or
• Promethazine (e.g., Phenergan) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) or
• Trimeprazine (e.g., Temaril) - Use with potassium supplements may cause or worsen certain stomach or intestine problems

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (benazepril [e.g., Lotensin], captopril [e.g., Capoten], enalapril [e.g., Vasotec], fosinopril [e.g., Monotril], lisinopril [e.g., Prinivil, Zestril], quinapril [e.g., Accupril], ramipril [e.g., Altace]) or
• Amiloride (e.g., Midamor) or
• Beta-adrenergic blocking agents (acebutolol [e.g., Sectral], atenolol [e.g., Tenormin], betaxolol [e.g., Kerlone], carteolol [e.g., Cartrol], labetalol [e.g., Normodyne], metoprolol [e.g., Lopressor], nadolol [e.g., Corgard], oxprenolol [e.g., Trasicor], penbutolol [e.g., Levatol], pindolol [e.g., Visken], propranolol [e.g., Inderal], sotalol [e.g., Sotacor], timolol [e.g., Blocadren]) or
• Heparin (e.g., Panheprin) or
• Inflammation or pain medicine (except narcotics) or
• Potassium-containing medicines (other) or
• Salt substitutes, low-salt foods, or milk or
• Spironolactone (e.g., Aldactone) or
• Triamterene (e.g., Dyrenium) - Use with potassium supplements may further increase potassium blood levels, which may cause or worsen heart problems

• Digitalis glycosides (heart medicine) - Use with potassium supplements may make heart problems worse

• Thiazide diuretics (water pills) - If you have been taking a potassium supplement and a thiazide diuretic together, stopping the thiazide diuretic may cause hyperkalemia (high blood levels of potassium)

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of potassium supplements. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Addison's disease (underactive adrenal glands) or
• Dehydration (excessive loss of body water, continuing or severe)

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) or
• Kidney disease - Potassium supplements may increase the risk of hyperkalemia (high blood levels of potassium), which may worsen or cause heart problems in patients with these conditions

• Diarrhea (continuing or severe) - The loss of fluid in combination with potassium supplements may cause kidney problems, which may increase the risk of hyperkalemia (high blood levels of potassium)

• Heart disease - Potassium supplements may make this condition worse

• Intestinal or esophageal blockage - Potassium supplements may damage the intestines

• Stomach ulcer - Potassium supplements may make this condition worse