Publisher： John Wiley & Sons Inc
E-ISSN： 1532-5415|29|4|145-150
ISSN： 0002-8614
Source： JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Vol.29, Iss.4, 1981-04, pp. : 145-150
Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.
Abstract
ABSTRACT: In 14 elderly male residents of a veterans' care complex who were receiving diuretic therapy for cardiac failure, oral potassium (K) supplements were withdrawn. Plasma and erythrocyte K levels were measured immediately before and six weeks after withdrawal of the supplements (38 mEq K daily). The controls comprised 19 elderly residents without disease and not taking drugs likely to influence K status. Study subjects and controls were receiving the same diet (average daily K content 100 mEq). After withdrawal of K supplements, the mean plasma K level fell significantly but the mean erythrocyte K level remained unchanged and did not differ from the control values. For a further six weeks after the withdrawal period, 7 subjects were treated with Aldactazide (diuretic hydrochlorothiazide plus K‐sparing spironolactone). The plasma K level increased significantly but the erythrocyte K level remained unchanged. It was concluded that, in this setting, diuretic‐induced hypokalemia is not necessarily accompanied by intracellular K depletion and that routine prophylaxis with K supplements or K‐sparing agents is unnecessary and not without risk. Such therapy should be reserved for patients considered at special risk of K depletion because of known poor dietary intake, advanced liver disease, secondary hyperaldosteronism with renovascular hypertension, gastrointestinal losses, or nondiuretic medication known to affect K status adversely.
Related content
Potassium‐sparing Diuretics: Interaction with Digoxin in Elderly Men
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Vol. 32, Iss. 2, 1984-02 ,pp. :
Access to resources
Recommend
Severely Demented Elderly People A Case Against Senicide
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Vol. 38, Iss. 6, 1990-06 ,pp. :
Physicians' Knowledge of Prescribing for the Elderly
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Vol. 33, Iss. 9, 1985-09 ,pp. :