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Potassium is a mineral that is found naturally in foods and is necessary for many normal functions of your body, especially the beating of your heart. Potassium bicarbonate is used to prevent or to treat a potassium deficiency (hypokalemia). Potassium bicarbonate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
Avoid taking potassium supplements or using other products that contain potassium without first asking your doctor. Salt substitutes or low-salt dietary products often contain potassium. If you take certain products together you may accidentally get too much potassium. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains potassium. There are many other medicines that can interact with potassium bicarbonate. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use potassium bicarbonate, or you may need a dose adjustment or special tests during treatment. FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether potassium bicarbonate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Take potassium bicarbonate with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.Drop the effervescent tablets into a glass of water (at least 4 ounces, or one-half cup). Allow the tablets to dissolve completely and then drink this mixture right away. Do not save it for later use. Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking potassium bicarbonate suddenly, your condition may become worse. Store potassium bicarbonate at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If you are more than 2 hours late in taking your medicine, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include numbness or tingling in your hands or feet, uneven heart rate, paralysis, feeling like you might pass out, chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling, or seizure (convulsions).
Avoid taking potassium supplements or using other products that contain potassium without first asking your doctor. Salt substitutes or low-salt dietary products often contain potassium. If you take certain products together you may accidentally get too much potassium. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains potassium.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using potassium bicarbonate and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects: confusion; uneven heartbeat; unusual tiredness, weakness, heavy feeling in your legs; severe stomach pain cramping; or black, bloody, or tarry stools.
Less serious side effects may include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or upset stomach; a rash; slight tingling in the hands or feet; or anxiety.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
The following drugs can interact with potassium bicarbonate. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these: digoxin (Lanoxin); an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik); a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren); a diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), chlorothiazide (Diuril, others), hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril, HCTZ, others), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Zaroxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactone, Aldactazide), or triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide); aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis),, and others; or a steroid such as prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with potassium bicarbonate or affect your condition. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about potassium bicarbonate.
- Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
- Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 4.03. Revision Date: 4/12/2009 4:41:25 PM.;
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