Klotrix (Potassium Chloride) - Indications and Dosage

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

BECAUSE OF REPORTS OF INTESTINAL AND GASTRIC ULCERATION AND BLEEDING WITH CONTROLLED-RELEASE POTASSIUM CHLORIDE PREPARATIONS, THESE DRUGS SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR THOSE PATIENTS WHO CANNOT TOLERATE OR REFUSE TO TAKE LIQUIDS OR EFFERVESCENT POTASSIUM PREPARATIONS OR FOR PATIENTS IN WHOM THERE IS A PROBLEM OF COMPLIANCE WITH THESE PREPARATIONS.

1. For the treatment of patients with hypokalemia with or without metabolic alkalosis; in digitalis intoxication; and in patients with hypokalemic familial periodic paralysis. If hypokalemia is the result of diuretic therapy, consideration should be given to the use of a lower dose of diuretic, which may be sufficient without leading to hypokalemia.
2. For prevention of hypokalemia in patients who would be at particular risk if hypokalemia were to develop, e.g., digitalized patients or patients with significant cardiac arrhythmias.

The use of potassium salts in patients receiving diuretics for uncomplicated essential hypertension is often unnecessary when such patients have a normal dietary pattern and when low doses of the diuretic are used. Serum potassium should be checked periodically, however; and, if hypokalemia occurs, dietary supplementation with potassium-containing foods may be adequate to control milder cases. In more severe cases, and if dose adjustment of the diuretic is ineffective or unwarranted, supplementation with potassium salts may be indicated.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

The usual dietary intake of potassium by the average adult is 50 to 100 mEq per day. Potassium depletion sufficient to cause hypokalemia usually requires the loss of 200 or more mEq of potassium from the total body store. Dosage must be adjusted to the individual needs of each patient but is typically in the range of 20 mEq per day for the prevention of hypokalemia to 40–100 mEq per day or more for the treatment of potassium depletion. Dosage should be divided if more than 20 mEq per day is given so that no more than 20 mEq is given in a single dose.

Klotrix (potassium chloride) provides 10 mEq of potassium chloride.

Note: Klotrix Slow-Release Tablet must be taken without crushing, chewing, or sucking the tablets. Klotrix should be taken with meals and with a glass of water or other liquid. This product should not be taken on an empty stomach because of its potential for gastric irritation (see WARNINGS).

Following release of the potassium chloride, the expended wax-matrix, which is not absorbed, may be observed in the stool.

HOW SUPPLIED

Each tablet containing 750 mg potassium chloride (equivalent to 10 mEq each potassium and chloride) is light orange, film-coated, debossed on one side with BL and on the other side with 770.

NDC 0087-0770-41      Bottles of 100

NDC 0087-0770-42      Bottles of 1000

NDC 0087-0770-43      Cartons of 100 individually wrapped tablets

Storage

Do not store at temperatures above 86° F (30° C).

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Princeton, NJ 08543 USA

1017832A2
April 2000