Potassium Chloride Injection (150 mg/mL)

Adult administration

Tablets: Typically, potassium chloride is taken in divided doses amounting to 1,200 to 3,000 mg per day. For patients on diuretics, 600 mg should be taken once daily. It should be taken after meals without chewing or crushing. Injection: Typically, potassium chloride is diluted to a concentration of 0.3% or less (0.3% = 40 mEq of potassium) in Ringer’s solution, dextrose injection, or normal saline, and administered via slow intravenous infusion at a rate of 8 mL per minute or less over 4 hours.

Care must be taken when breaking the container, especially for administration to children or the elderly, as glass shards may mix with the solution when using glass ampoules. This medication should not be administered to patients who have had an allergic reaction to its components, those with poor kidney function or heart issues, and patients experiencing acute dehydration or significant tissue damage. Patients with gastrointestinal problems, those whose esophagus is compressed due to cardiac hypertrophy, individuals who have undergone heart surgery, patients with hyperkalemia, and genetically prone individuals to hyperkalemic paralysis should also avoid this medication. Patients with decreased kidney function or heart diseases, and those suffering from conditions that may easily cause hyperkalemia should be particularly cautious when using this medication. Administering this medication may result in symptoms of potassium excess such as tingling in the extremities, muscle weakness, mental confusion, low blood pressure, and cardiac arrhythmias, while gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea have also been reported. As this medication can affect the heart, especially during high-dose administration, careful monitoring of electrocardiogram changes is necessary. It is advisable to regularly check blood potassium levels, kidney function, and electrocardiogram during use, and to discontinue administration immediately if symptoms of hyperkalemia appear. Patients with a low salt intake may need both potassium and chloride supplementation, and caution should be exercised as pain may occur if this medication is administered through a peripheral vein. Furthermore, in patients with hyperchloremia, symptoms may worsen; therefore, careful monitoring of plasma chloride concentration and kidney function is required. This medication may lead to dangerously elevated blood potassium levels when used in combination with certain diuretics, antihypertensives, anti-inflammatory drugs, or immunosuppressants, and potassium levels should be meticulously monitored during co-administration of these drugs. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should use this medication cautiously as its safety has not been established. Elderly individuals may have weakened physical functions, thus dosage adjustments and careful administration are necessary. Overdosage can lead to hyperkalemia, which may be asymptomatic but can result in severe symptoms like muscle paralysis or cardiac arrest, necessitating immediate discontinuation of the medication and appropriate treatment. This medication should be administered only by intravenous injection, and it must be adequately diluted and mixed before use. The administration rate should not exceed 20 mEq per hour for potassium, and failure to dilute can lead to severe cardiac problems, so it is essential to follow the guidelines strictly.

Serious side effects

• Cardiac arrhythmias
• heart block
• cardiac arrest

Mild side effects

• Nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal discomfort
• diarrhea
• low blood pressure
• sensory abnormalities in the limbs
• flaccid paralysis
• apathy
• mental confusion
• weakness and lethargy of the legs

This medication should be stored in a sealed container to prevent air or moisture ingress, and it is advisable to store it at room temperature between 1 and 30 degrees Celsius. This will help maintain the medication's efficacy and prevent degradation.

Appearance

It is a colorless, clear solution contained in a polyethylene, polypropylene, multilayer film plastic container or glass container.

Package unit

20 mL/ampoule, 100 mL/bottle