Privacy Policy| A 20-year-old nurse student presented with a cardiac arrest with asystole rhythm. 1986 Dec;14(4):255-6. To the Editor.—  NIH Potassium chloride is a common supplement given to people with low potassium levels who also have reduced blood levels of chloride. Get free access to newly published articles. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. It is very concerning that the slow-release preparation is available in bottles of 100 without prescription. Cyanide & potassium chloride Cyanide is known as a highly toxic chemical, and can certainly cause death at the right concentrations. The ocular fluid potassium level (about 18 hours postmortem) was 10.8 mEq/liter. Sous sa forme solide, ce sel neutre équivaut au minéral tendre8 nommé sylvine, ou sel amer, ou encore sylvite en anglais, de structure cristallographique cubique à faces centrées9. JAMA. An increase in blood potassium levels, particularly a sudden increase, can lead to heart arrhythmias, some of which can be life threatening. Overdose symptoms of potassium include listlessness, mental confusion, tingling of limbs, weakness, pallid complexion, low blood pressure, and an irregular or fast heartbeat. to download free article PDFs, Any change in these or related factors can present as hyperkalaemia. [Electrolyte and acid-base balance disorders in advanced chronic kidney disease]. Cureus. Gastrointestinal symptoms manifest as nausea, vomiting, paralytic ileus, and local mucosal necrosis which may lead to perforation. All Rights Reserved, 1978;240(13):1339. doi:10.1001/jama.1978.03290130033008. She was given slow-release potassium chloride for this, and subsequently used the medication indiscriminately whenever she felt weak or tired. She was told that the diarrhea probably resulted from potassium chloride, to take no more pills, and that the diarrhea would probably remove the excess potassium. Background: Although ingestion of sustained-release potassium supplements can cause life-threatening hyperkalemia in patients with abnormal renal function, only a few previous reports suggest that this may occur in patients with normal renal function. HHS Potassium is a mineral and an electrolyte, which conducts electrical impulses throughout the body. She was told that the diarrhea probably resulted from potassium chloride, to take no more pills, and that the diarrhea would probably remove the excess potassium. There … Report of Cases.—Case 1.—  The signs of a potassium overdose are typically serious, such as paralysis, arrhythmia, chest pain, and coma. -Never give injectable potassium chloride undiluted. When a patient presents a large ingestion of extended release potassium tablets, clinical manifestations could be delayed even more than 24 h and concretions could be formed in the stomach. Potassium is one of the most abundant ions in the human body and yet it is difficult to assess potassium balance. His abdominal X-ray did not reveal any radio-opaque drugs. We have recently investigated the deaths of two previously healthy individuals who died of hyperkalemia following accidental oral overdose of potassium chloride. Electrolytes assist in essential body functions. Fatal Hyperkalemia From Accidental Overdose of Potassium Chloride. Intentional overdose of potassium chloride slow-release tablets may lead to severe hyperkalaemia with symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, bradycardia, slowed conduction, hypotension, supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias including therapy resistant ventricular fibrillation and finally asystole.  |  Potassium chloride poisoning can be potentially life‐threatening, particularly in massive ingestions of sustained‐release preparations. -Potassium depletion sufficient to cause hypokalemia usually requires the loss of 200 mEq or more of the total body stores of potassium. She was given slow-release potassium chloride for this, and subsequently used the medication indiscriminately whenever she felt weak or tired. Introduction. A dose that’s not high enough to kill outright can cause kidney failure. Potassium chloride can remain in the digestive system for too long, leading to injuries in the digestive tract (stomach, … Besides cardiovascular effects, neuromuscular manifestations in the form of general muscular weakness and ascending paralysis occur. Hyperkalemic cardiac arrest during an infusion of potassium chloride following an overdose of propranolol. Epub 2010 Nov 13. Calcium chloride infusion, dextrose and insulin in water, and correction of acidosis with sodium bicarbonate are helpful in controlling the acute, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Overdose of potassium is not as frequently encountered in clinical practice as hyperkalaemia (excess potassium in the body) due to acute or chronic renal disease… A potassium overdose can happen when one has high levels of potassium, also known as hyperkalemia. The initial serum potassium was 6.8 mmol/L. Case Presentation. 1. Decontamination and enhanced elimination in sustained-release potassium chloride poisoning. This site needs JavaScript to work properly. Potassium chloride is used to prevent or to treat low blood levels of potassium (hypokalemia). An 86-year-old gentleman was brought to the emergency department after a massive overdose of slow-release potassium chloride and indapamide. A 32-year-old medical secretary became hypokalemic after she had begun taking a liquid protein diet. After initial resuscitation with epinephrine, 125 mL of a 4.2% intravenous solutio… Potassium gluconate is recommended when a person has a normal chloride level or when a person should have chloride restricted. To curtail inadvertent or accidental potassium overdoses, physicians should prescribe any potassium supplements very carefully to their patients and monitor the plasma potassium periodically. 2011 Nov;29(9):1237.e1-2. Potassium chloride is extensively used as a potassium supplement, both by physicians as a therapeutic modality and by the general public, mostly in the form of salt substitute. By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue," you are agreeing to our, 2020 American Medical Association. Terms of Use| You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. One evening diarrhea developed; she said she had taken "a lot of potassium pills." Results of toxicologic analysis of fluids and tissues were normal, except, Wetli CV, Davis JH. Potassium is a mineral that is needed for several functions of your body, especially the beating of your heart. results were sent to my home with a note about my cholesterol being a bit high. 2011 Dec;23(6):769-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2011.01469.x. It is imperative when treating hyperkalaemia that the whole clinical picture is taken into account rather than the numerical potassium values. She was found dead the next morning. Potassium clearly has its potential for risks including life-threatening hyperkalaemia and cardiac arrest. Therapeutically, both the oral and intravenous forms of potassium are utilised. Findings from an autopsy showed that she had ingested 47 tablets of potassium chloride. Potassium homeostasis is maintained very delicately and is governed by the daily consumption of potassium and the renal excretion mechanisms. The recommended concentration of potassium for oral solution is 40 to 100 mEq per day. Customize your JAMA Network experience by selecting one or more topics from the list below. Potassium clearly has its potential for risks including life-threatening hyperkalaemia and cardiac arrest is needed for several functions your! Or undiagnosed subsequently used the medication indiscriminately whenever she felt weak or tired was 10.8 mEq/liter potassium are.! Him a large dose of potassium chloride for this, and coma is a mineral an...:335-40. doi: 10.1080/15563650902824001 begun taking a liquid protein diet de potassium est un composé chimique minéral formule... Or clicking `` Continue, '' you are agreeing to our, 2020 American medical Association acute... 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