What are the principles of potassium supplementation? These precautions must be mastered!

Potassium supplementation is something that everyone is paying attention to nowadays, because if the body lacks potassium, the body will also have some related diseases. Therefore, everyone should be careful not to be picky about food and have partial food in life. These reasons are the main reasons for the loss of potassium. So what should colleagues pay attention to when supplementing potassium? The following four major precautions are introduced to everyone in response to this issue.

The first four major precautions

1. Oral potassium supplementation: Oral potassium supplementation is the safest way to supplement potassium, such as 10% potassium chloride or potassium citrate;

2. Intravenous potassium supplementation: It can be supplemented intravenously if it cannot be taken orally. The commonly used injection is 10% potassium chloride. The following points must be noted when supplementing potassium intravenously: 1. "Supplement potassium when seeing urine": Generally, potassium supplementation can be performed only when the urine volume exceeds 40ml/d or 500ml/d; 2. The amount of potassium supplementation depends on the serum potassium level. For those who are just fasting, generally 2 to 3 grams of potassium chloride per day is enough for physiological needs. For those with severe potassium deficiency (serum potassium more than 2 < 2mmol/L), the total amount of potassium chloride supplemented per day should not exceed 6 to 8g, but there are exceptions to special circumstances such as severe diarrhea and acute renal failure in the polyuria stage.

3. Potassium supplement concentration: should not exceed 40mmol/L (potassium chloride 3g/l); it should be diluted and then dripped intravenously. Direct intravenous injection is prohibited to avoid a sudden increase in blood potassium, which may lead to cardiac arrest.

4. Potassium supplementation rate: should not exceed 20-40mmol/h. The intravenous infusion rate for adults should not exceed 80 drops/min.

Second, how to supplement potassium

1. The use of potassium-excreting diuretics, adrenal cortisol drugs, gastrointestinal decompression, fasting, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. can all cause potassium loss, and potassium salts should be taken orally to prevent hypokalemia.

2. For most patients with hypokalemia, the blood K concentration is between 3.0-3.5mmol/L. Such serum K concentration generally does not cause serious problems. Oral potassium salt.

Third general principle of potassium supplementation

1. Take potassium supplements orally as much as possible:

10% potassium chloride solution or potassium citrate is often used for oral administration. For those who cannot take it orally, it can be administered by intravenous drip.

2. Prohibit intravenous potassium injection:

The commonly used injection is 10% potassium chloride solution, which is diluted and then dripped intravenously. Direct intravenous injection is strictly prohibited to avoid a sudden increase in blood potassium and cause cardiac arrest.

3. Supplement potassium in urine:

Generally, potassium supplementation should be performed only when urine volume exceeds 40ml/h or 500ml/d.

Hypokalemia is often confused with the symptoms of the primary disease, which can easily delay diagnosis and should be taken seriously. In addition to actively treating the primary disease, hypokalemia should also include eating more foods rich in potassium, paying attention to maintaining a good mood, doing more exercise, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, and eating a low-salt, low-sugar, low-fat, and low-cholesterol diet.