What Causes Decreased Potassium Levels While On BP Medication?

Posted on Wed, 2 Sep 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 2 Sep 2015 Answered on

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : yes I have very high blood pressurer I take 3 different meds for this My problem now i am looking for something I can drink or take to keep my pottassium from going so low I am sick to my stomach cramps in my legs I know this is what it is because I have had this before and had to go in hospital but I am looking for something I can take at home I am 73 My question is there something Like Pedilite ?

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, there are potassium supplements.

Detailed Answer:
I am sorry you are having these problems.

There definitely are a variety of potassium supplements:
Tablets: - range 6.7 - 20 meq.
K-Dur
Slow-K

Liquids: - range 20 - 40 meq
Cena-K
Kaochlor
Kay Ciel
Kaon-Cl

Powders: - range 15 - 25 meq
K-Lor
Kay Ciel
Klor-Con
K-Lyte-Cl

If I have a patient on a water pill for blood pressure, and if their potassium was in a normal range to start with, I have them take K-dur 10 meq every day and then check their potassium a 2-3 weeks after starting them on it to see if we are in a good range.

If I have a patient who shows low potassium from blood pressure meds then I increase to 20 or 40 meq/day.

The thing is you need to have it checked when taking these as elevated potassium can cause serious heart arrhythmias. May also be good to check the potassium level before starting to see where you are at.

I would strongly recommend talking to your doctor about your symptoms so that he/she can prescribe one of the daily potassium supplements, and, very importantly, monitor and make sure you are in a good potassium range once you are on it.

I hope this information helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar