Potassium chloride (medical use)

For general information about medical use of potassium, see Potassium in biology.

Potassium chloride
Potassium Chloride ampoules
Clinical data
Pronunciationpoe tass' i um klor' ide
Trade namesKay-Cee-L, Slow-K, others
AHFS/Drugs.comProfessional Drug Facts
License data
Routes of
administration		By mouth, intravenous
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Identifiers
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
Chemical and physical data
FormulaClK
Molar mass74.55 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • [Cl-].[K+]
  • InChI=1S/ClH.K/h1H;/q;+1/p-1
  • Key:WCUXLLCKKVVCTQ-UHFFFAOYSA-M

Potassium chloride, also known as potassium salt, is used as a medication to treat and prevent low blood potassium.[2] Low blood potassium may occur due to vomiting, diarrhea, or certain medications.[3] The concentrated version should be diluted before use.[2] It is given by slow injection into a vein or by mouth.[4]

Side effects may include heart problems if given too quickly by injection into a vein.[4] By mouth it can result in abdominal pain, peptic ulcer disease, or gastrointestinal bleeding.[4] Greater care is recommended in those with kidney problems.[2] As long as high blood potassium does not occur, use in pregnancy or breastfeeding is believed to be safe for the baby.[5] Generally, the strength of the formulation for injection into a vein should not be greater than 40 mmol/L (3 mg/L).[4]

Potassium chloride came into large scale commercial use as a fertilizer in 1861 and has been used medically since the 1950s.[6][7] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[8] Potassium chloride is available as a generic medication.[4] In 2022, it was the 35th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 16 million prescriptions.[9][10]

  1. ^ "FDA-sourced list of all drugs with black box warnings (Use Download Full Results and View Query links.)". nctr-crs.fda.gov. FDA. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c World Health Organization (2009). Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR (eds.). WHO Model Formulary 2008. World Health Organization. p. 491. hdl:10665/44053. ISBN 9789241547659.
  3. ^ "Potassium chloride medical facts from Drugs.com". www.drugs.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e British national formulary : BNF 69 (69 ed.). British Medical Association. 2015. pp. 680, 684. ISBN 9780857111562.
  5. ^ "Klor-Con M - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses". www.drugs.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  6. ^ Velde P, Barré P (2009). "Man and Agriculture: Manipulating Soil – Plant Interactions". Soils, Plants and Clay Minerals: Mineral and Biologic Interactions. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 275. ISBN 9783642034992. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017.
  7. ^ BNA's Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal. Bureau of National Affairs, Incorporated. 1991. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Potassium chloride, used since the 1950s for the treatment of potassium depletion in humans
  8. ^ World Health Organization (2023). The selection and use of essential medicines 2023: web annex A: World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 23rd list (2023). Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/371090. WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2023.02.
  9. ^ "The Top 300 of 2022". ClinCalc. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Potassium Chloride Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2013 - 2022". ClinCalc. Retrieved 30 August 2024.