Hypokalemia secondary prevention

Administration of potassium supplements and treating the underlying disease is the primary measure in secondary prevention of hypokalemia.

There are appropriate measures as secondary prevention of hypokalemia in patients, who are susceptible more or have ongoing potassium losses, including:^[1]

• Prescription of potassium chloride 20 mg BID: Patients with congestive heart failure and edematous conditions such as cirrhosis have to take it regularly
• Administration of Proton Pomp Inhibitors and H2 blocker drugs: It can inhibit bicarbonate formation in the stomach and its absorption, as well as limiting potassium loss.
• Prescription of potassium-sparing medications, such as Amiloride 1.25-2.5 mg BID

Administering K-sparing diuretics is the most suitable preventive option. However, hyperkalemia should be considered in patients with diabetes and older cases.^[2]

Prescribing potassium preventively (72-144 mmol/L daily) as a maintenance therapy for ill patients with normal K+ and Cr on admission would decrease harmful hypokalemia episodes, and severe nursing cares.^[3]

One of the most frequent drawbacks of extreme abdominal operations is hypokalemia. For inhibiting drug-induced hypokalemia, medications’ complications must be considered. Moreover, blood sampling for screening the potassium (once on admission and four times after that) and administrating potassium supplements would result in better detection, treatment, and fast track recovery of cases who are undergoing abdominal operations. ^[4]

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