Potassium is a mineral that is found in many foods and is needed for several 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).

Important information

• You should not use potassium chloride if you have high levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia), or if you also take a “potassium-sparing” diuretic.
• To be sure potassium chloride is helping your condition, your blood may need to be tested often. Your heart rate 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.
• Do not crush, chew, break, or suck on an extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or crushing the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Sucking on a tablet can irritate your mouth or throat.

Dosage and strength comparisons (mg vs mEq)

Potassium chloride comes as oral liquid, powder, granules, effervescent tablets, regular tablets, extended-release tablets, and extended-release capsules.

Micro-K® Extencaps® capsules (potassium chloride extended-release) and Micro-K® 10 Extencaps® capsules are oral dosage forms of microencapsulated potassium chloride containing 600 and 750 mg, respectively, of potassium chloride USP equivalent to 8 and 10 mEq of potassium.

Adult Dosing 

• Treatment of hypokalemia: Daily dose range from 40 to 100 mEq. Give in 2 to 5 divided doses: limit doses to 40 mEq per dose. The total daily dose should not exceed 200 mEq in a 24 hour period.
• Maintenance or Prophylaxis: Typical dose is 20 mEq per day. Individualize dose based upon serum potassium levels.

Pediatric Dosing 

• Treatment of hypokalemia: Pediatric patients aged birth to 16 years old: The initial dose is 2 to 4 mEq/kg/day in divided doses; do not exceed as a single dose 1 mEq/kg or 40 mEq, whichever is lower; maximum daily doses should not exceed 100 mEq.
• Maintenance or Prophylaxis: Pediatric patients aged birth to 16 years old: Typical dose is 1 mEq/kg/day. Do not exceed 3 mEq/kg/day.

How to use interchangeable products?

Potassium Chloride supplements in USA 

Potassium Chloride supplements in Canada

NAME in Canada: Micro-K 8 Extencaps

DOSAGE: Capsule, extended release

STRENGTH: 600mg

Equivalent to mEq: 8 meq

ROUTE: Oral

NAME in Canada: Potassium K-8

DOSAGE: Tablet

STRENGTH: 600mg

Equivalent to mEq: 8 meq

ROUTE: Oral

NAME in Canada: Slow K8

DOSAGE: Tablet, extended release

STRENGTH: 600mg

Equivalent to mEq: 8 meq

ROUTE: Oral

NAME in Canada: Potassium Chloride

DOSAGE: Solution

STRENGTH: 20meq/15mL

Equivalent to mEq: 20 meq

ROUTE: Oral

NAME in Canada: Potassium K-20

DOSAGE: Tablet, extended release

STRENGTH: 1500mg

Equivalent to mEq: 20 meq

ROUTE: Oral

Administration and Monitoring 

If serum potassium concentration is <2.5 mEq/L, use intravenous potassium instead of oral supplementation.

Monitoring 

Monitor serum potassium and adjust dosages accordingly. For treatment of hypokalemia, monitor potassium levels daily or more often depending on the severity of hypokalemia until they return to normal. Monitor potassium levels monthly to biannually for maintenance or prophylaxis.

The treatment of potassium depletion, particularly in the presence of cardiac disease, renal disease, or acidosis requires careful attention to acid-base balance, volume status, electrolytes, including magnesium, sodium, chloride, phosphate, and calcium, electrocardiograms and the clinical status of the patient. Correct volume status, acid-base balance and electrolyte deficits as appropriate.

Administration

Dilute the potassium chloride for oral solution with at least 4 ounces of cold. Take with meals or immediately after eating.

Reference:

1. drugs.com
2. accessdata.fda.gov
3. drugbank.ca