POTASSIUM CHLORIDE 0.11% IN DEXTROSE 5% AND SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.33% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER
Clinical safety rating: safe
No significant drug interactions Can cause hypernatremia and fluid overload.
Potassium chloride provides potassium ions essential for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and acid-base balance. Dextrose supplies glucose for cellular energy. Sodium chloride restores sodium and chloride ions for fluid and electrolyte balance.
| Metabolism | Potassium is not significantly metabolized. Dextrose undergoes glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Sodium and chloride are excreted unchanged primarily by kidneys. |
| Excretion | Potassium: primarily renal (>90% as K+), with minimal biliary/fecal elimination (<2%). Dextrose and sodium chloride are metabolized or excreted renally. |
| Half-life | Potassium: not applicable as a terminal half-life; distribution and elimination follow body potassium homeostasis. Dextrose and sodium chloride are rapidly distributed and eliminated with half-lives of minutes to hours. |
| Protein binding | Potassium: negligible (<2% bound); dextrose: not bound; sodium: minimally bound (<10% loosely bound to proteins). |
| Volume of Distribution | Potassium: approximately 0.5-0.7 L/kg, reflecting distribution primarily in intracellular fluid; dextrose: ~0.2 L/kg (extracellular); sodium: ~0.15-0.3 L/kg (extracellular). |
| Bioavailability | Intravenous: 100% for all components; oral potassium: ~90% absorbed; not applicable for dextrose and sodium chloride via oral route. |
| Onset of Action | Intravenous: immediate (within seconds to minutes) for electrolyte effects; clinical effect on serum potassium levels occurs within minutes to hours depending on dose and infusion rate. |
| Duration of Action | Duration depends on total dose and patient's potassium balance; effects on serum potassium persist for hours after infusion ends, with renal elimination ongoing. |
Intravenous infusion, rate determined by serum electrolyte levels and fluid requirements; typical adult dose: 1 mL/kg/hour, providing potassium at 0.11 g (1.5 mEq) per 100 mL, dextrose 5 g per 100 mL, and sodium chloride 0.33 g per 100 mL.
| Dosage form | INJECTABLE |
| Renal impairment | Contraindicated in severe renal impairment (GFR <30 mL/min). For moderate impairment (GFR 30-50 mL/min), use with extreme caution, reduce infusion rate, and monitor serum potassium closely. |
| Liver impairment | No specific adjustment required; however, monitor for fluid and electrolyte imbalances in advanced cirrhosis (Child-Pugh C) due to risk of ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. |
| Pediatric use | Weight-based dosing: 5-10 mL/kg/day as maintenance fluid; adjust potassium content to 0.5-1 mEq/kg/day depending on serum potassium levels. |
| Geriatric use | Use lower initial infusion rates due to decreased renal function; monitor renal function and serum potassium frequently. Typical starting rate: 50-100 mL/hour. |
| 1st trimester | Consult provider |
| 2nd trimester | Consult provider |
| 3rd trimester | Consult provider |
Clinical note
No significant drug interactions Can cause hypernatremia and fluid overload.
| FDA category | Animal |
| Breastfeeding | Potassium chloride is a normal constituent of breast milk; maternal administration results in minimal changes to milk electrolyte composition. No adverse effects in breastfed infants are expected. M/P ratio is not clinically relevant as potassium is physiologically regulated. |
| Teratogenic Risk | Potassium chloride is an essential electrolyte and not teratogenic at physiologic levels. No increased risk of fetal malformations has been reported. Intravenous administration during pregnancy should be guided by maternal electrolyte needs; excessive potassium may cause maternal cardiac arrhythmias, potentially affecting fetal oxygenation. |
■ FDA Black Box Warning
Concentrated potassium solutions must be diluted before administration. Rapid infusion may cause fatal hyperkalemia and cardiac arrest.
| Common Effects | fluid replacement |
| Serious Effects |
["Hyperkalemia","Severe renal impairment with oliguria or anuria","Addison's disease","Acute dehydration","Concurrent therapy with potassium-sparing diuretics"]
| Precautions | ["Monitor serum potassium, sodium, glucose, and renal function.","Use with caution in patients with cardiac disease, renal impairment, or conditions predisposing to hyperkalemia.","Avoid in patients with hyperkalemia, oliguria, or anuria.","Dextrose solutions may cause hyperglycemia; use cautiously in diabetic patients."] |
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| Fetal Monitoring | Monitor maternal serum potassium levels, cardiac rhythm, and urine output. In pregnancy, fetal heart rate monitoring may be indicated if maternal electrolyte imbalances are severe or if rapid infusion occurs. |
| Fertility Effects | No known effects on fertility. Potassium is essential for cellular function; deficiency or excess may indirectly affect reproductive function, but no direct impact on fertility has been documented. |