Indications for potassium chloride solution

Potassium chloride solution is often used to treat patients with hypokalemia. It also has a good therapeutic effect on digitalis poisoning. It is also relatively good in preventing hypokalemia in daily life. When using potassium chloride solution for treatment, you should also be aware of some adverse reactions. When taken orally, it may cause adverse stimulation to the gastric mucosa and easily cause symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

【 Indications 】

(1) Treatment of hypokalemia: Hypokalemia caused by various reasons, such as insufficient food intake, vomiting, severe diarrhea, use of potassium-excreting diuretics, hypokalemic familial periodic paralysis, long-term use of glucocorticoids and supplementation of hypertonic glucose, etc.

(2) Prevention of hypokalemia: When patients have potassium loss, especially when hypokalemia is harmful to the patient (e.g. patients taking digitalis drugs), preventive potassium supplementation is required, such as those who eat very little, have severe or chronic diarrhea, take adrenal cortex hormones for a long time, potassium-losing nephropathy, Bartter syndrome, etc.

(3) Digitalis poisoning causes frequent, multifocal premature beats or rapid arrhythmias.

【 Usage and Dosage 】

Oral potassium salts are used to treat mild hypokalemia or for prophylaxis.

【 Adverse Reactions 】

(1) Oral administration may cause gastrointestinal irritation symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, throat discomfort, chest pain (esophageal irritation), abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even peptic ulcer and bleeding. It is more likely to occur when the patient is on an empty stomach, taking large doses, or has existing gastrointestinal diseases.

(2) Patients with pre-existing renal impairment should be aware of the occurrence of hyperkalemia.

【 Contraindications 】

(1) Patients with hyperkalemia.

(2) Patients with acute renal insufficiency or chronic renal insufficiency.

【 Notes 】

(1) Use with caution in the following situations:

① Acute dehydration, which can cause decreased urine volume and reduced urinary K+ excretion in severe cases;

② In familial periodic paralysis, hypokalemic paralysis should be supplemented with potassium, but it is necessary to differentiate between hyperkalemic or normal periodic paralysis;

③ Chronic or severe diarrhea can cause hypokalemia, but it can also cause dehydration and hyponatremia, leading to prerenal oliguria;

④Conduction block arrhythmia, especially when using digitalis drugs;

⑤ Extensive burns, muscle trauma, severe infection, 24 hours after major surgery, and severe hemolysis, the above conditions themselves can cause hyperkalemia;

⑥Adrenal syndrome with insufficient secretion of mineralocorticoids;

⑦ Patients receiving potassium-sparing diuretics.