K-Lyte / Ci

Potassium chloride is a prescription medication used to treat and prevent low potassium levels due to poor dietary intake, certain diseases, or other drugs. Potassium chloride belongs to a group of drugs called electrolytes, which are compounds that help the body function normally.

This medication comes in tablet and capsule forms and may be taken multiple times a day with food and water.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of potassium chloride include nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort or pain, and diarrhea.

K-Lyte CI is part of the drug class:

• POTASSIUM

Serious side effects have been reported with potassium chloride. See “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of potassium chloride include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• gas
• abdominal pain

This is not a complete list of potassium chloride side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Take potassium chloride exactly as prescribed.

• This medication comes in tablet and capsule forms and may be taken multiple times a day with food and water.
• Swallow capsules and tablets whole. Do not chew or crush contents of either the tablet or capsule.
• This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein by a healthcare professional.
• The liquid for injection form is to be used by your hospital physician.
• For patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets whole, the tablet may be broken in half.
• For patients who have difficulty swallowing capsules whole, its contents may be sprinkled into soft food followed by a glass of water or other liquid.
• If one cannot swallow a tablet, a capsule, or half a tablet, try the following alternate methods of administration:
  • Prepare an aqueous (water) suspension as follows:
    1. Place the whole tablet or pour the capsule's contents in approximately one-half glass of water (4 fluid ounces).
    2. Allow approximately 2 minutes for the contents to dissolve.
    3. Stir for about half a minute after the contents have dissolved.
    4. Swirl the suspension and consume the entire suspension immediately by drinking or by the use of a straw.
    5. Add another one fluid ounce of water, swirl, and consume immediately.
    6. Then, add an additional one fluid ounce of water, swirl, and consume immediately.
  •  If not taken immediately, it should be discarded. The use of other liquids besides water for dissolving tablets or capsule contents is not recommended.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of potassium chloride at the same time.

If you take too much potassium chloride, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

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.

If you are taking a dietary supplement without a prescription, carefully read and follow any precautions on the label. For these supplements, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

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.

Geriatric

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).

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.

Interactions with 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 any of these dietary supplements, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using dietary supplements in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with dietary supplements in this class or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Amantadine
• Amifampridine
• Amisulpride
• Atropine
• Belladonna
• Belladonna Alkaloids
• Benztropine
• Bepridil
• Biperiden
• Cisapride
• Clidinium
• Darifenacin
• Dicyclomine
• Dronedarone
• Eplerenone
• Fesoterodine
• Glycopyrrolate
• Hyoscyamine
• Mesoridazine
• Methscopolamine
• Oxybutynin
• Pimozide
• Piperaquine
• Procyclidine
• Saquinavir
• Scopolamine
• Solifenacin
• Sparfloxacin
• Terfenadine
• Thioridazine
• Tolterodine
• Trihexyphenidyl
• Trospium
• Ziprasidone

Using dietary supplements in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Alacepril
• Alfuzosin
• Amiloride
• Amiodarone
• Amitriptyline
• Amoxapine
• Anagrelide
• Apomorphine
• Aripiprazole
• Aripiprazole Lauroxil
• Arsenic Trioxide
• Asenapine
• Astemizole
• Azithromycin
• Bedaquiline
• Benazepril
• Buserelin
• Canrenoate
• Captopril
• Chloroquine
• Chlorpromazine
• Cilazapril
• Ciprofloxacin
• Citalopram
• Clarithromycin
• Clomipramine
• Clozapine
• Crizotinib
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Dabrafenib
• Dasatinib
• Degarelix
• Delamanid
• Delapril
• Desipramine
• Deslorelin
• Deutetrabenazine
• Disopyramide
• Dofetilide
• Dolasetron
• Domperidone
• Donepezil
• Droperidol
• Efavirenz
• Enalaprilat
• Enalapril Maleate
• Erythromycin
• Escitalopram
• Fingolimod
• Flecainide
• Fluconazole
• Fluoxetine
• Foscarnet
• Fosinopril
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Gonadorelin
• Goserelin
• Granisetron
• Halofantrine
• Haloperidol
• Histrelin
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Hydroxyzine
• Ibutilide
• Iloperidone
• Imidapril
• Imipramine
• Indomethacin
• Ivabradine
• Ketoconazole
• Lapatinib
• Leuprolide
• Levofloxacin
• Lisinopril
• Lopinavir
• Lumefantrine
• Mefloquine
• Methadone
• Metronidazole
• Mifepristone
• Moexipril
• Moxifloxacin
• Nafarelin
• Nilotinib
• Norfloxacin
• Nortriptyline
• Octreotide
• Ofloxacin
• Ondansetron
• Paliperidone
• Panobinostat
• Pasireotide
• Pazopanib
• Pentopril
• Perindopril
• Pimavanserin
• Pitolisant
• Posaconazole
• Procainamide
• Prochlorperazine
• Promethazine
• Propafenone
• Protriptyline
• Quetiapine
• Quinapril
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Ramipril
• Ranolazine
• Ribociclib
• Salmeterol
• Sevoflurane
• Solifenacin
• Sorafenib
• Sotalol
• Spirapril
• Spironolactone
• Sulpiride
• Sunitinib
• Tacrolimus
• Telavancin
• Telithromycin
• Temocapril
• Tetrabenazine
• Tizanidine
• Toremifene
• Trandolapril
• Trazodone
• Triamterene
• Trifluoperazine
• Trimipramine
• Triptorelin
• Vandetanib
• Vardenafil
• Vemurafenib
• Vinflunine
• Voriconazole
• Zofenopril
• Zuclopenthixol

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of dietary supplements in this class. 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)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus 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.