Potassium Supplements (Systemic)

Category

• Antihypokalemic - Potassium Acetate; Potassium Bicarbonate; Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Chloride; Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Citrate; Potassium Chloride; Potassium Gluconate; Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Chloride; Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Citrate; Trikates
• Electrolyte replenisher - Potassium Acetate; Potassium Bicarbonate; Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Chloride; Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Citrate; Potassium Chloride; Potassium Gluconate; Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Chloride; Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Citrate; Trikates

Description

Potassium is needed to maintain good health. Although a balanced diet usually supplies all the potassium a person needs, potassium supplements may be needed by patients who do not have enough potassium in their regular diet or have lost too much potassium because of illness or treatment with certain medicines.

There is no evidence that potassium supplements are useful in the treatment of high blood pressure.

Lack of potassium may cause muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, mood changes, or nausea and vomiting.

Injectable potassium is administered only by or under the supervision of your doctor. Some forms of oral potassium may be available in stores without a prescription. Since too much potassium may cause health problems, you should take potassium supplements only if directed by your doctor. Potassium supplements are available with your doctor's prescription in the following dosage forms:

Oral
• Potassium Bicarbonate
  • Tablets for solution (U.S. and Canada)
• Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Chloride
  • Powder for solution (U.S. and Canada)
  • Tablets for solution (U.S. and Canada)
• Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Citrate
  • Tablets for solution (U.S.)
• Potassium Chloride
  • Extended-release capsules (U.S. and Canada)
  • Solution (U.S. and Canada)
  • Powder for solution (U.S. and Canada)
  • Powder for suspension (U.S.)
  • Extended-release tablets (U.S. and Canada)
• Potassium Gluconate
  • Elixir (U.S. and Canada)
  • Tablets (U.S.)
• Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Chloride
  • Solution (U.S.)
  • Powder for solution (U.S.)
• Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Citrate
  • Solution (U.S.)
• Trikates
  • Solution (U.S.)

Parenteral
• Potassium Acetate
  • Injection (U.S.)
• Potassium Chloride
  • Concentrate for injection (U.S. and Canada)

Importance of Diet

The following table includes some potassium-rich foods.

Food (amount)	Milligrams of potassium	Milliequivalents of potassium
Acorn squash, cooked (1 cup)	896	23
Potato with skin, baked (1 long)	844	22
Spinach, cooked (1 cup)	838	21
Lentils, cooked (1 cup)	731	19
Kidney beans, cooked (1 cup)	713	18
Split peas, cooked (1 cup)	710	18
White navy beans, cooked (1 cup)	669	17
Butternut squash, cooked (1 cup)	583	15
Watermelon (1/16)	560	14
Raisins (1/2 cup)	553	14
Yogurt, low-fat, plain (1 cup)	531	14
Orange juice, frozen (1 cup)	503	13
Brussel sprouts, cooked (1 cup)	494	13
Zucchini, cooked, sliced (1 cup)	456	12
Banana (medium)	451	12
Collards, frozen, cooked (1 cup)	427	11
Cantaloupe (1/4)	412	11
Milk, low-fat 1% (1 cup)	348	9
Broccoli, frozen, cooked (1 cup)	332	9

For U.S. -
• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the amount of vitamins and minerals needed to provide for adequate nutrition in most healthy persons. RDAs for a given nutrient may vary depending on a person's age, sex, and physical condition (e.g., pregnancy).
• Daily Values (DVs) are used on food and dietary supplement labels to indicate the percent of the recommended daily amount of each nutrient that a serving provides. DV replaces the previous designation of United States Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDAs).

For Canada -
• Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are used to determine the amounts of vitamins, minerals, and protein needed to provide adequate nutrition and lessen the risk of chronic disease.

Because lack of potassium is rare, there is no RDA or RNI for this mineral. However, it is thought that 1600 to 2000 mg (40 to 50 milliequivalents [mEq]) per day for adults is adequate.

Remember:

• The total amount of potassium that you get every day includes what you get from food and what you may take as a supplement. Read the labels of processed foods. Many foods now have added potassium.
• Your total intake of potassium should not be greater than the recommended amounts, unless ordered by your doctor. In some cases, too much potassium may cause muscle weakness, confusion, irregular heartbeat, or difficult breathing.

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S. -

• Cena-K ⁵
• Effer-K ⁴
• Gen-K ⁵
• Glu-K ⁶
• K-8 ⁵
• K+ 10 ⁵
• Kaochlor 10% ⁵
• Kaochlor S-F 10% ⁵
• Kaon ⁶
• Kaon-Cl ⁵
• Kaon-Cl-10 ⁵
• Kaon-Cl 20% Liquid ⁵
• Kato ⁵
• Kay Ciel ⁵
• Kaylixir ⁶
• K+ Care ⁵
• K+ Care ET ²
• K-Dur ⁵
• K-Electrolyte ²
• K-G Elixir ⁶
• K-Ide ³
• K-Lease ⁵
• K-Lor ⁵
• Klor-Con 8 ⁵
• Klor-Con 10 ⁵
• Klor-Con/EF ²
• Klor-Con Powder ⁵
• Klor-Con/25 Powder ⁵
• Klorvess ³
• Klorvess Effervescent Granules ³
• Klorvess 10% Liquid ⁵
• Klotrix ⁵
• K-Lyte ²
• K-Lyte/Cl ³
• K-Lyte/Cl 50 ³
• K-Lyte/Cl Powder ⁵
• K-Lyte DS ⁴
• K-Norm ⁵
• Kolyum ⁷
• K-Sol ⁵
• K-Tab ⁵
• K-Vescent ²
• Micro-K ⁵
• Micro-K 10 ⁵
• Micro-K LS ⁵
• Potasalan ⁵
• Rum-K ⁵
• Slow-K ⁵
• Ten-K ⁵
• Tri-K ⁹
• Twin-K ⁸

In Canada -

• Apo-K ⁵
• K-10 ⁵
• Kalium Durules ⁵
• Kaochlor-10 ⁵
• Kaochlor-20 ⁵
• Kaon ⁶
• KCL 5% ⁵
• K-Dur ⁵
• K-Long ⁵
• K-Lor ⁵
• K-Lyte ²
• K-Lyte/Cl ⁵
• K-Med 900 ⁵
• Micro-K ⁵
• Micro-K 10 ⁵
• Neo-K ³
• Potassium-Rougier ⁶
• Potassium-Sandoz ³
• Roychlor-10% ⁵
• Slow-K ⁵

Another commonly used name for trikates is potassium triplex .