POTASSIUM CHLORIDE

(poe TASS ee um) Brand: EPIKLOR, EPIKLOR/25, K-Dur 10, K-Lor, K-Tab, Kal Potassium 99, Kaochlor S-F, Kaon-CL 10, Kaon-CL 20%, Kay Ciel, KCl-20, Klor-Con, Klor-Con 10, Klor-Con 8, Klor-Con M10, Klor-Con M15, Klor-Con M20, Klor-Con/25, Micro-K, Micro-K 10, Rum-K

What is the most significant information I must know about potassium chloride?

• You must not use this medicine if you have kidney failure, Addison's malady, severe burns or another tissue injury, if you are dehydrated, if you take determined diuretics (water pills), or if you have tall levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia).

• Do not crush, chew, interrupt, or suck on an extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow the pill intact. Breaking or crushing the pill may reason too many of the drug to be released at one time. Sucking on a potassium tablet can irritate your mouth or throat.

• Take this medicine with food or just after a meal.

• To be certain this medicine is helping your condition, your blood may need to be tested often. Your heart course may also be checked using an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG) to measure electrical activity of the heart. This test will help your doctor determine how long to treat you with potassium. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• Serious side effects of potassium include uneven heartbeat, muscle weakness or limp feeling, severe stomach pain, and numbness or tingling in your hands, foots, or mouth.

• Do not stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking potassium suddenly, your condition may become worse.

What is potassium chloride?

• Potassium is a mineral that is found in much foods and is needed for different functions of your body, especially the beating of your heart.

• Potassium chloride is used to prevent or to treat low blood levels of potassium (hypokalemia). Potassium levels can be low as a result of a malady or from taking determined medicines, or after a prolonged diseases with diarrhea or vomiting.

• Potassium chloride may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking potassium chloride?

• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to it, or if you have determined conditions. Be certain your doctor knows if you have:

· tall levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia);

· kidney failure;

· Addison's malady (an adrenal gland disorder);

· a big tissue injury such as a severe burn;

· if you are severely dehydrated; or

· if you are taking a "potassium-sparing" diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), spironolactone (Aldactone, Aldactazide), triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide).

• To create certain you can safely take potassium chloride, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· kidney disease;

· heart malady or tall blood pressure;

· a blockage in your stomach or intestines; or

· chronic diarrhea (such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease).

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether potassium chloride will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• It is not known whether potassium chloride passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How must I take potassium chloride?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Mix the powder, granule, or liquid form of this medication with at least 4 ounces (one-half cup) of cool water or fruit juice till taking. Drink the mixture slowly, over 5 to 10 minutes in all. To create certain you get the entire doze, add a few more water to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.

• Take this medicine with food or just after a meal.

• Your treatment may include a particular diet. It is very significant to follow the diet plan created for you by your doctor or nutrition counselor. You must become very familiar with the list of foods you must ate or avoid to help control your condition.

• Potassium-rich foods include: squash, baked potatoes (skin on), spinach, lentils, broccoli, brussels sprouts, zucchini, kidney or navy beans, raisins, watermelon, orange juice, bananas, cantaloupe, and low-fat milk or yogurt. Consume only the daily amounts recommended by your doctor or nutrition counselor.

• Do not stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking potassium suddenly, your condition may become worse.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Hold the medicine in a closed container.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose symptoms may include hard feeling in your arms or legs, confusion, weak or shallow breathing, slow or uneven heartbeat, seizure (convulsions), or feeling like you might pass out.

What must I avoid while taking potassium chloride?

• Avoid taking potassium supplements or using another commodity that contain potassium without first asking your doctor. Salt substitutes or low-salt dietary commodity often contain potassium. If you take determined commodity together you may accidentally get too many potassium. Read the label of any another medication you are using to see if it contains potassium.

What are the possible side effects of potassium chloride?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

· confusion, anxiety, feeling like you might pass out;

· uneven heartbeat;

· extreme thirst, heighten urination;

· leg discomfort;

· muscle weakness or limp feeling;

· numbness or tingly feeling in your hands or foots, or near your mouth;

· severe stomach pain, ongoing diarrhea or vomiting;

· black, bloody, or tarry stools; or

· coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· mild nausea or upset stomach;

· mild or casual diarrhea;

· slight tingling in your hands or foots; or

· appearance of a potassium chloride tablet in your stool.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect potassium chloride?

• Speak your doctor about all another medicines you use, especially:

· eplerenone (Inspra);

· digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);

· quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release);

· a bronchodilator such as ipratroprium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);

· an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik); or

· any type of diuretic (water pill) such as bumetanide (Bumex), chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor, Vasoretic, Zestoretic), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zarxolyn), or torsemide (Demadex).

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with potassium chloride. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about potassium chloride.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

(39)