Potassium Gluconate - Nerve Transmission

Name: Potassium Gluconate - Nerve Transmission

Scientific Name:

Intro: Potassium is very important for general well-being. This essential mineral promotes muscle activity and nerve transmission. Potassium also works with Sodium to regulate the body's water balance. It is especially vital for the beating of your heart. Potassium gluconate is used to prevent or to treat potassium deficiency. Most healthy individuals get the required amounts of potassium from a healthy diet. Potassium supplementation is very specific, based upon low blood potassium levels and generally completed under medical supervision.

Nutrient Content:

Benefits:

Controls the distribution and balance of water throughout the body
Helps maintain pH balance throughout the body
Blood pressure is partially regulated by potassium and studies suggest that potassium can reduce blood pressure
Also involved in the conversion of stored sugar (glycogen) into a form more useful to the body.
Targeted clinical applications for potassium include use in preventing cardiac arrhythmias
Commonly used in patients with congestive heart failure because many medications used to treat the disease often deplete the body of potassium
Individuals with a diet high in potassium may have a lower risk of developing kidney stones

Comments: The Dietary Supplement Informaton Bureau recommends typically not more than 250mg to 2,000mg of potassium supplement daily, which is approximately equal to 6mEq to 50 mEq of potassium. In cases of low blood levels of potassium, doses greater than 3,900mg (100mEq) per day may be used.

Caution: Excessive doses of this dietary supplement can cause mental confusion, numbness of the extremities, labored breathing and poor heart function. Kidney failure can lead to potassium toxicity. If you have poorly functioning kidneys talk to your doctor before taking this dietary supplement.

Possible Interactions

Albuterol
This medication may decrease potassium levels in the blood. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary.

Aminoglycosides
These medications are reported to cause increased elimination of potassium in the urine. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary. These drugs include streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amakacin, netilmicin, neomycin, paromomycin .

Amphotericin B
This medication may decrease potassium levels in the blood. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary.

Salicylates
These medications can cause damage to the lining of the stomach and the intestines. This may result in a loss of potassium from the body. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary.
These drugs include aspirin, choline salicylate, sodium salicylate, magnesium salicylate, salsalate, diflunisal, sodium thiosalicylate .

Corticosteroid Medications
These medications are reported to cause increased elimination of potassium in the urine. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary. These drugs include prednisone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, betamethasone, budesonide, triamcinolone, dexamethasone, cortisone, beclomethasone, flunisolide, fluticasone, fludrocortisone, mometasone .

L-Dopa
In patients with Parkinson's disease, these medications are reported to cause increased elimination of potassium in the urine. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary.

Loop Diuretics
These medications commonly decrease potassium levels in the body in some, but not all patients. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary. These drugs include furosemide, bumetanide, ethacrynic acid, torsemide.

Calcium Channel Blockers
Some of the side effects from these medications are due to decreased potassium levels in the body. Overdoses of these medications may be life threatening. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary. These drugs include amlodipine, bepridil, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, verapamil .

Penicillins
High doses of these medications have been reported to decrease potassium levels in the body. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary. These drugs include Penicillin g, penicillin v, ampicillin, amoxicillin, ticarcillin, ticarcillin / clavulanate, piperacillin, piperacillin / tazobactam, nafcillin, oxacillin, dicloxacillin, carbenicillin indanyl sodium, cloxacillin, ampicillin / sulbactam, amoxicillin / potassium clavulanate .

Sodium Bicarbonate
Excessive use or overdoses of sodium bicarbonate may result in dangerously low levels of potassium in the body. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary.

Thiazide Diuretics
These medications may decrease the amount of potassium in the body. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary. These drugs include hydrochlorothiazide, chlorothiazide, indapamide, metolazone, chlorthalidone, hydroflumethiazide, polythiazide, trichlormethiazide, benzthiazide, methyclothiazide, bendroflumethiazide.

Magnesium
Large doses of magnesium may cause diarrhea, which may lead to decreased potassium levels in the body. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Large doses of vitamin C may cause diarrhea, which may lead to decreased potassium levels in the body. Supplementation with the affected nutrient may be necessary.