Urocit-K 10 Meq

/ Pharmabest

Treatment with extended release potassium citrate should be added to a regimen that limits salt intake and encourages high fluid intake. The objective of treatment is to provide sufficient dosage to restore normal urinary citrate (greater than 320 mg/day and as close to the normal mean of 640 mg/day as possible), and to increase urinary pH to a level of 6.0 or 7.0. Monitor serum electrolytes, serum creatinine and complete blood counts every four months and more frequently in patients with cardiac disease, renal disease or acidosis. Perform electrocardiograms periodically.
Severe Hypocitraturia (urinary citrate < 150 mg/day): therapy should be initiated at a dosage of 60 mEq /day (30 mEq two times/day or 20 mEq three times/day with meals or within 30 minutes after meals or bedtime snack).
Mild to Moderate Hypocitraturia (urinary citrate > 150 mg/day): therapy should be initiated at 30 mEq/day (10 mEq three times/day with meals or within 30 minutes after meals or bedtime snack).
Notice: twenty-four hour urinary citrate and/or urinary pH measurements should be used to determine the adequacy of the initial dosage and to evaluate the effectiveness of any dosage change. Doses greater than 100 mEq/day have not been studied and should be avoided.
Pediatric Use: safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.

For the management of: Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) with calcium stones. Hypocitraturic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis of any etiology. Uric acid lithiasis with or without calcium stones.

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients. In patients with hyperkalemia (or who have conditions pre-disposing them to hyperkalemia), as a further rise in serum potassium concentration may produce cardiac arrest. In patients in whom there is cause for arrest or delay in tablet passage through the gastrointestinal tract. In patients with peptic ulcer disease because of its ulcerogenic potential. In patients with active urinary tract infection (with either urea-splitting or other organisms, in association with either calcium or struvite stones). In patients with renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate of less than 0.7 ml/kg/min), because of the danger of soft tissue calcification and increased risk for the development of  hyperkalemia.
See prescribing information for full details.

Hyperkalemia: in patients with impaired mechanisms for excreting potassium, Patassium supplement  administration can produce hyperkalemia and cardiac arrest. Potentially fatal hyperkalemia can develop rapidly and be asymptomatic. Gastrointestinal Lesions (because of reports of upper gastrointestinal mucosal lesions following administration of potassium-chloride waxmatrix). Solid dosage forms of potassium chlorides have produced stenotic and/or ulcerative lesions of the small bowel and deaths. If there is severe vomiting, abdominal pain or gastrointestinal bleeding, this drug  should be discontinued immediately and the possibility of bowel perforation or obstruction investigated.

Minor gastrointestinal complaints during therapy, such as abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, loose bowel movements or nausea. These symptoms are due to the irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, and may be alleviated by taking the dose with meals or snacks, or by reducing the dosage. Patients may find intact matrices in their feces.
See prescribing information for full details.

Potassium-Sparing Diuretics: concomitant administration (such as with triamterene, spironolactone or amiloride) should be avoided since the simultaneous administration of these agents can produce severe hyperkalemia. Drugs that slow gastrointestinal transit time (such as anticholinergics) can be expected to increase the gastrointestinal irritation produced by potassium salts.

Pregnancy: The drug  should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.
Lactation: The normal potassium ion content of human milk is about 13 mEq/L. It is not known if  this drug  has an effect on this content.
See prescribing information for full details.

Treatment of Overdosage: the administration of potassium salts to persons without predisposing conditions for hyperkalemia rarely causes serious hyperkalemia at recommended dosages. It is important to recognize that hyperkalemia is usually asymptomatic and may be manifested only by an increased serum potassium concentration and characteristic electrocardiographic changes (peaking of T-wave, loss of P-wave, depression of S-T segment and prolongation of the QT interval). Late manifestations include muscle paralysis and cardiovascular collapse from cardiac arrest. Treatment measures for hyperkalemia include the following:
1) Patients should be closely monitored for arrhythmias and electrolyte changes.
2) Elimination of medications containing potassium and of agents with potassium sparing properties such as potassium-sparing diuretics, ARBs, ACE inhibitors, NSAIDs, certain nutritional supplements and many others.
3) Elimination of foods containing high levels of potassium such as almonds, apricots, bananas, beans (lima, pinto, white), cantaloupe, carrot juice (canned), figs, grapefruit juice, halibut, milk, oat bran, potato (with skin), salmon, spinach, tuna and many others.
4) Intravenous calcium gluconate if the patient is at no risk or low risk of developing digitalis toxicity.
5) Intravenous administration of 300-500 mL/hr of 10% dextrose solution containing 10-20 units of crystalline insulin per 1,000 mL.
6) Correction of acidosis, if present, with intravenous sodium bicarbonate.
7) Hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. 8) Exchange resins may be used. However, this measure alone is not sufficient for the acute treatment of hyperkalemia. Lowering potassium levels too rapidly in patients taking digitalis can produce digitalis toxicity.

Storage: Store below 25C.
Shelf life: after first opening: 3 months.