Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion
Potassium chloride, Glucose monohydrate, Sodium chloride
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the pack:
This medicine is a solution for infusion (it is given to you through a drip in a vein).
This medicine is used to maintain or restore your levels of potassium, sodium, chloride, and fluids when you also need an energy supplement and when dietary measures or oral medication are not suitable.
Do not usePotassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion
Warnings and precautions
Tell your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before starting to use Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion if you have or have had any of the following conditions:
Since this medicine contains sodium, it should be administered with caution if you have hypertension, congestive heart failure, fluid accumulation (edema) in the lungs or peripherally, renal insufficiency, preeclampsia (development of hypertension during pregnancy), or other conditions associated with sodium retention, as well as if you are taking corticosteroids or corticotropin (see next subsection).
Adequate vitamin intake (particularly vitamin B1) should be ensured.
Caution should be exercised before administering the medicine to patients who:
Children
Special attention and rigorous control of electrolyte and fluid levels should be exercised when administering this medicine to children.
Use of Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion with other medicines
Tell your doctor or nurse if you are using, have recently used, or might use any other medicines.
Especially tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines, so that the amount of Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion can be adjusted accordingly:
Corticosteroids are also associated with sodium and water retention.
The concomitant administration of these medicines with potassium can severely increase potassium levels in the blood, which can lead to cardiac arrhythmia.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.
The safety of its use during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. Therefore, it should only be used when the benefits clearly outweigh the potential risks to the fetus and the infant.
Maternal administration of large amounts of glucose-containing solutions during labor, especially in complicated deliveries, can cause hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels in the blood), and acidosis in the fetus, and may be harmful to the newborn.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, your doctor should continuously monitor your heart and blood potassium levels, as incorrect levels can lead to severe cardiac disorders in both the mother and the fetus or newborn.
This medicine will always be administered by healthcare personnel.
Method of administration
Your doctor or nurse will administer this medicine to you through a drip in a vein (intravenously).
The container of this medicine contains a significant amount of air. Therefore, to avoid the risk of air entering your bloodstream, this product should not be administered by pressure infusion.
Dosage
Your doctor will decide the most suitable dose for you, depending on your age, weight, and clinical situation. While you are receiving this medicine, your blood glucose and electrolyte levels and fluid balance will be routinely monitored.
The maximum recommended dose of potassium is 2-3 mEq/kg/day. The maximum normal dose for an adult is 40 ml per kg of body weight per day (maximum 2.8 liters). You should not receive this medicine through the same infusion equipment as blood.
The amount of glucose administered with the solution should not exceed 4-5 mg/kg/min.
Use in children
Children will receive a reduced dose. The amount to be administered will be decided by the doctor and will depend on the child's weight.
In children, the dose of potassium should not exceed 3 mEq/kg/day.
The recommended daily fluid dose in these patients is as follows:
If you receive more Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion than you should
This is unlikely to happen since your doctor will decide the most suitable dose for you.
However, if your doctor accidentally administers more medicine than necessary or injects it too quickly, you may experience potassium intoxication. The symptoms that may appear are described in section 4 "Possible side effects".
Your doctor will immediately stop the administration and decide on the most suitable treatment to normalize your situation. In patients with kidney failure, dialysis may also be necessary.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
When the medicine is used as recommended in this leaflet, side effects are not expected to occur.
After administration of this medicine, hyperhydration (fluid retention), hyperglycemia, hyperchloremic acidosis, and hyperkalemia may occur, especially if the solution is administered too quickly or in excess, or if your kidneys do not function properly. The symptoms of hyperkalemia mainly affect the nerves, muscles, and heart, and include tingling or numbness of the limbs, muscle weakness, flaccid paralysis, respiratory paralysis, intestinal paralysis, mental confusion, loss of reflexes, apathy, cool skin, pale skin (grayish skin tone), weakness, and heaviness of the legs, hypotension (low blood pressure), electrocardiogram abnormalities, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac block, and cardiac arrest. It is very important that your doctor monitors your heart to assess the severity of possible hyperkalemia.
Side effects may also occur due to intravenous administration. These effects include fever, infection at the injection site, local pain, venous irritation, venous thrombosis (blood clot formation), inflammation, hardening, or contraction of the vein, extravasation, and necrosis (tissue death).
The following side effects may occur in some people:
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines. Website: www.notificaRAM.es
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label and on the outer packaging after EXP. The expiry date is the last day of the month stated.
Do not store above 25°C.
The medicine should be used immediately after opening. Otherwise, the in-use storage times and conditions are the responsibility of the user.
This medicine is for single use only.
This medicine should have a clear appearance. Do not use this medicine if the solution is not clear or if the container shows visible signs of deterioration.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. This will help protect the environment.
Composition of Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose, and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion
500 ml 1.50 g 0.90 g 20.00 g (22.00 g) | 1,000 ml 3.00 g 1.80 g 40.00 g (44.00 g) | ||||
Potassium Chloride Sodium Chloride | |||||
Glucose (equivalent to glucose monohydrate) | |||||
Electrolyte Concentrations: | |||||
Potassium K+ | 40 mmol/l | 0.04 mEq/ml | |||
Sodium Na+ Chloride Cl- | 30 mmol/l 70 mmol/l | 0.030 mEq/ml 0.07 mEq/ml |
Water for injectable preparations
Appearance of Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose, and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion and container content
Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose, and 0.18% sodium chloride is an infusion solution, i.e., it should be administered through a venous drip.
It is a sterile, transparent, and colorless solution of the aforementioned substances in water.
It is presented in 500 ml or 1,000 ml colorless polyethylene bottles, available in packs of 10 bottles.
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorization Holder
Spain
ManufacturerB. Braun Melsungen AG Carl-Braun-Straße 1 34212 Melsungen
Germany Tel: +49-5661 710 Fax: +49-5661 4567
Spain Tel: +34-935 866 200 Fax: +34-935 881 096
Date of the last revision of this prospectus: February 2024
Detailed and updated information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/
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The information that appears below is intended solely for healthcare professionals:
Dosage
The normal dose of potassium for the prevention of hypokalemia may be up to 50 mmoles per day.
In the case of severe acute hypokalemia, the dose is up to 20 mmoles of potassium in 500 ml over 2 or 3 hours, with ECG monitoring.
The maximum recommended dose of potassium is 2 to 3 mmol/Kg/24h. The rate should not exceed 10 - 40 mmol/h to avoid hyperkalemia. In the case of peripheral infusions, the potassium concentration should be less than 40 mmol/l to avoid pain.
Adults:
Hydration needs in adults are generally maintained with volumes of 30 to 40 ml of fluid per Kg of body weight per day (maximum 2800 ml for a person with 70 Kg and per day).
Peripheral vein | Central vein | ||
K+ Concentrations | ≤ 0.04 mEq/ml | ≤ 0.1 mEq/ml Concentrations greater than 0.060 mEq/ml require close ECG monitoring | |
Infusion rate | Moderate hypokalemia (K+ ≥ 0.0025 mEq/ml) | ≤ 10 mEq/h | ≤ 20 mEq/h |
Moderate hypokalemia (K+ <0.0025 mEq/ml) | ≤ 20 mEq/h | ≤ 20 mEq/h (exceptionally, in emergency situations, up to 40 mEq/h with continuous ECG monitoring) |
Maximum infusion rate:
Up to 5 ml/Kg of body weight per hour, corresponding to 0.25 g glucose/Kg per hour.
Pediatric population:
The recommended dose for the treatment of carbohydrate and fluid depletion in children is:
In children, potassium infusion should not exceed 2-3 mmol/Kg of body weight or 40 mmol/m2/day.
Method of administration
The maximum rate of Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion for administration through peripheral routes is 10 mmol per hour.
As a rule, infusion pumps should be used for potassium perfusion in the context of therapy adjustment.
Special warnings and precautions for use
Solutions containing glucose should not be administered simultaneously, before, or after blood administration through the same infusion equipment due to the possibility of pseudoagglutination.
Treatment of overdose
In case of hyperkalemia, potassium administration should be discontinued, and corrective measures should be taken to reduce plasma potassium.
Treatment of hyperkalemia depends on the severity of the condition. Different regimens have been established, consisting of the administration of calcium to counteract the negative effects of hyperkalemia on the heart, the use of insulin and glucose or sodium bicarbonate to promote the passage of potassium from the extracellular space to the interior of the cell, and/or the use of diuretics, cation exchange resins, or dialysis to increase its excretion.
It should be taken into account that a rapid decrease in plasma potassium levels in digitalized patients can cause cardiac toxicity due to digitalis.
Incompatibilities
In the absence of compatibility studies, this medicinal product should not be mixed with others unless compatibility has been previously proven.
Potassium chloride in intravenous mixtures has been shown to be incompatible with sodium amoxicillin, amphotericin B, dobutamine hydrochloride, and sodium penicillin G. Similarly, it is not recommended to administer the following drugs in a "Y" connection when administering potassium mixtures: azithromycin, promethazine hydrochloride, diazepam, sodium phenytoin, sodium methylprednisolone succinate, or ergotamine tartrate.
It has been described that the glucose-saline solution with a 4% glucose content and 0.18% sodium chloride is incompatible with mitomycin due to the low pH of this solution. Similarly, incompatibility samples have been observed for different glucose-saline solutions with: sodium phenytoin, sodium heparin, haloperidol lactate, imipenem-cilastatin sodium, and meropenem. However, some of these drugs may be compatible with glucose-saline solutions depending on different factors such as the concentration of the drug in the solution (sodium heparin) or the time elapsed between the dissolution and administration of the solution (imipenem-cilastatin sodium and meropenem).
On the other hand, signs of incompatibility have been described when some medications are diluted in solutions containing glucose, including: sodium amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, sodium ampicillin, interferon alfa-2b, and procainamide hydrochloride. However, it should be noted that some of these drugs, such as sodium amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, can be injected directly into the injection point while these infusion solutions are being administered.
Signs of incompatibility have also been described when some medications are diluted in solutions containing chloride, including amsacrine and trimetrexate glucuronate.
Shelf life after opening
2 years. From a microbiological point of view, the product should be used immediately. If not used immediately, the in-use storage times and conditions are the responsibility of the user and should not exceed 24 hours and 2 - 8°C, unless the dilution is made under controlled and validated aseptic conditions.
For more information on this medicinal product, the Potassium B. Braun 0.04 mEq/ml Prediluted in 4% glucose and 0.18% sodium chloride solution for infusion technical data sheet should be consulted.