Potassium Acetate
Potassium Acetate is a potassium supplement given by IV to prevent or treat low potassium levels (hypokalemia) in patients who cannot take potassium by mouth.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 8 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
Potassium Acetate, on the market since about 2005 and available generically, is hospital IV potassium added to a larger fluid bag to prevent or correct low potassium (hypokalemia) when someone cannot eat or drink normally; because the liver turns acetate into bicarbonate, it is a less common alternative to potassium chloride when the blood runs too acidic. Diluted and run slowly it is usually well tolerated; tingling hands or feet, heavy legs or confusion mostly signal potassium climbing too high. Tell your nurse at once about new leg heaviness or an irregular heartbeat, the warning signs the heart monitor and blood tests are there to catch.
Clinical pearls
- It should not be given with already high potassium, severe kidney disease or adrenal insufficiency (underactive adrenal glands).
- The product contains aluminum, which can build up when kidneys work poorly, a special concern for premature newborns.
- It is always diluted into a larger IV bag and never given as a concentrated shot, so expect a slow drip.
- Mention metabolic alkalosis or serious liver disease, since the acetate adds base and may worsen either condition.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Potassium Acetate, written from its FDA label.
What Potassium Acetate is used for
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Potassium Acetate Injection is an IV potassium supplement used in clinical settings when patients cannot take potassium by mouth.
- Potassium Acetate Injection is indicated to prevent or correct hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood) in patients with restricted or no oral intake
- Potassium Acetate Injection is used as an additive for preparing customized IV fluid formulas when standard electrolyte or nutrient solutions are not sufficient for the patient's needs
How Potassium Acetate works
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Potassium is the primary mineral inside your body's cells, playing a critical role in fluid and electrolyte balance, muscle function, and heart rhythm. When blood potassium drops too low, muscles — including the heart — can stop working properly. Restoring potassium levels through this IV solution helps bring the body back into balance. The acetate component is converted by the liver into bicarbonate, which helps correct acid-base imbalances alongside the potassium replacement.
Potassium Acetate dosage
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Potassium Acetate Injection is given exclusively by IV in a hospital or clinical setting, always after being diluted into a larger bag of IV fluid. It is never injected as a concentrated solution. The amount given and the infusion speed are individually tailored by the care team based on blood test results and continuous or periodic heart (ECG) monitoring. Follow your care team's instructions exactly — they will manage every aspect of dosing for you.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Potassium Acetate prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.
- General use (adults and children) - Potassium Acetate Injection, USP (2 mEq/mL), intravenous after dilution
- Administered intravenously only after dilution in a larger volume of fluid
- The dose and rate of administration are dependent upon the individual needs of the patient
- ECG and serum potassium should be monitored as a guide to dosage
- Maximum: The infusion rate should not exceed 1 mEq/kg/hr
- Intraosseous infusion can be an alternate route when intravenous access is not readily available
- Normal daily requirements: Newborn
- 2-6 mEq/kg/24 hr
- Normal daily requirements: Children
- 2-3 mEq/kg/24 hr
- Normal daily requirements: Adult
- 40-80 mEq/24 hr
Read the label’s full dosing text
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Potassium Acetate Injection, USP (2 mEq/mL) in the Pharmacy Bulk Package is designed for use with manual, gravity flow operations and automated compounding devices for preparing sterile nutrient admixtures. Potassium Acetate Injection, USP (2 mEq/mL) is administered intravenously only after dilution in a larger volume of fluid . The dose and rate of administration are dependent upon the individual needs of the patient. ECG and serum potassium should be monitored as a guide to dosage. Using aseptic technique, all or part of the contents of one or more vials may be added to other intravenous fluids to provide any desired number of milliequivalents (mEq) of potassium (K + ) with an equal number of milliequivalents of acetate (CH 3 COO - ). Maximum infusion rate: The infusion rate should not exceed 1 mEq/kg/hr. Normal daily requirements: Newborn: 2–6 mEq/kg/24 hr. Children: 2–3 mEq/kg/24 hr. Adult: 40 – 80 mEq/24 hr. Intraosseous infusion can be an alternate route for drug administration when intravenous access is not readily available. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit. (See PRECAUTIONS .) Directions for Dispensing From Pharmacy Bulk Package The Pharmacy Bulk Package is for use in the Pharmacy Admixtures Service only. For hanger application, peel off the paper liner from both ends of the tape hanger to expose 3/4 inch long adhesive portions. Adhere each end to the label on the bottle. The vials should be suspended as a unit in the laminar flow hood. A single entry through the vial closure should be made with a sterile dispensing set or transfer device. Transfer individual doses to appropriate intravenous infusion solutions. Use of a syringe with needle is not recommended as it may cause leakage and multiple entries will increase the potential of microbial and particulate contamination. The above process should be carried out under a laminar flow hood using aseptic technique. Discard any unused portion within 4 hours after initial closure entry.
Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Potassium Acetate side effects
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The main side effects of Potassium Acetate Injection relate to potassium intoxication — when potassium levels rise too high. Watch for:
Common side effects
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
- Muscle weakness or heaviness in the legs
- Listlessness or unusual tiredness
- Mental confusion
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Irregular heartbeat (cardiac arrhythmia)
- Flaccid paralysis (sudden loss of muscle tone)
- Irregular heartbeat or heart block
- Abnormal ECG (heart tracing) findings
When to get medical help
- Call for help immediately if you notice muscle paralysis or sudden severe weakness
- Seek emergency care for an irregular or very slow heartbeat
- Alert your care team right away if you feel sudden confusion or extreme listlessness
- Tell your nurse immediately if you feel unusual heaviness or weakness in your legs during the infusion
- Report any signs of very low blood pressure, such as dizziness or faintness
Severe potassium intoxication can lead to cardiac arrest. Alert your care team immediately if you notice any of these symptoms during your infusion.
Potassium Acetate warnings and precautions
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- Must be diluted: This injection is a concentrate — it will cause serious harm if given undiluted. Hospital staff always dilute it first.
- Slow infusion required: Giving potassium too quickly can cause dangerous heart rhythm problems or cardiac arrest. Infusion rate is strictly controlled.
- Heart and blood monitoring: ECG and serum potassium levels must be checked regularly throughout treatment to keep dosing safe.
- Aluminum toxicity risk: This product contains aluminum, which can reach toxic levels in patients with poor kidney function — especially premature newborns. High aluminum can damage the nervous system and bones.
- Metabolic/respiratory alkalosis: Patients with too much base in the blood need extra caution, as the acetate in this medication could worsen that imbalance.
- Severe liver disease: Acetate metabolism may be impaired; use with great care.
Potassium Acetate interactions
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The label does not list specific drug or food interactions for Potassium Acetate Injection, but certain medical conditions require extra caution when using any potassium-containing solution:
- Conditions that already cause potassium retention — adding more potassium can push levels dangerously high
- Severe kidney failure — the kidneys cannot clear excess potassium, raising the risk of toxicity
- Metabolic or respiratory alkalosis — the acetate component can worsen these acid-base imbalances
Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.
Before taking Potassium Acetate
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- Severe kidney disease or kidney failure — potassium cannot be cleared properly, making toxicity likely; this medication is contraindicated in severe cases
- Adrenal insufficiency (underactive adrenal glands) — contraindicated
- High potassium levels already (hyperkalemia) — adding more potassium is dangerous
- Premature newborns — immature kidneys raise the risk of aluminum toxicity from this product
- Severe liver disease — impairs the body's ability to process the acetate component
- Metabolic or respiratory alkalosis — acetate can make these conditions worse
- Any condition associated with potassium retention — requires careful consideration before use
Potassium Acetate overdose
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If too much potassium acetate is given, the IV infusion should be stopped immediately. Medical staff will then take steps to lower elevated potassium levels and restore the body's acid-base balance as needed. Signs of too much potassium include muscle weakness, paralysis, confusion, low blood pressure, dangerous heart rhythm changes, and potentially cardiac arrest.
What Potassium Acetate does in the body
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Potassium is the main positively charged ion inside cells, and maintaining its normal concentration is essential for proper muscle and nerve function, including a steady heartbeat. When potassium levels in the blood fall below the normal range (3.5–5.0 mEq/liter), this IV solution replenishes the deficit. The acetate is converted in the liver to bicarbonate, which helps correct low bicarbonate levels and restore proper acid-base balance in the body.
How to store Potassium Acetate
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Store at 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F).
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Potassium Acetate
17 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Potassium Acetate in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 1
- Moderate · 7
- Minor · 9
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Potassium Acetate: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Potassium Acetate — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
Why am I getting potassium through an IV instead of just taking a pill?
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What will the nurses be watching for while I get this IV?
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What side effects should I tell someone about right away?
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Is there anything about my health history that makes this IV less safe for me?
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Should I be worried about aluminum in this medication?
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How long will I need to receive this IV potassium?
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Is Potassium Acetate available over the counter?
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When was Potassium Acetate first available?
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Who makes Potassium Acetate?
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Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
More about Potassium Acetate on HelloPharmacist
Potassium Acetate forms and strengths (how it comes)
Potassium Acetate is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Need a version that does not list lactose, a gluten source, a dye or gelatin? Inactive ingredients differ by manufacturer: see Potassium Acetate inactive ingredients by manufacturer.
Injection
How this form is used
- Potassium Acetate Injection is used to prevent or treat low potassium (hypokalemia) in patients who cannot take potassium by mouth
- Potassium Acetate Injection is used as an additive in customized IV nutrition or electrolyte solutions when standard fluids don't meet the patient's needs
- Potassium Acetate Injection must always be diluted into a larger IV fluid before administration — never given as a concentrated solution
- Potassium Acetate Injection is given intravenously; intraosseous (into the bone marrow) infusion may be used when IV access is not available
- Potassium Acetate Injection infusion rate and total dose are determined by the care team based on blood potassium levels and ECG monitoring
- Potassium Acetate Injection vials are for pharmacy use in preparing admixtures; any unused portion must be discarded within 4 hours of first opening
Potassium Acetate on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Potassium Acetate appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
3 companies list 5 Potassium Acetate product records with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1971. Brand names on the directory include Potassium Acetate; the rest are generics.
Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (5) · Granule (1) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
How widely Potassium Acetate is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Potassium Acetate is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Potassium Acetate is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Potassium Acetate prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Potassium Acetate ranks #829 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 48% of them.
Utilization by Potassium Acetate product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
potassium acetate 2 MEQ/ML Injectable Solution Most dispensed
Summed across the 5 of 8 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 237381
20 ML potassium acetate 2 MEQ/ML Injection
Summed across the 3 of 7 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1871155
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Potassium Acetate, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 8 of 15 listed Potassium Acetate NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Potassium Acetate products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Potassium Acetate — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Injection | ||||
| 200 mEq/100 mL | Intravenous | Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 196 mg/mL | Intravenous | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 3.93 g/20 mL | Intravenous | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 196.3 mg/mL | Intravenous | Hospira, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 3.93 g/20 mL | Intravenous | Hospira, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
Showing 5 of 5 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 5 Potassium Acetate NDCs →
Potassium Acetate side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Potassium Acetate — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
The effects most often named in FDA reports that mention Potassium Acetate are diarrhoea, nausea, fatigue; about 68% of the reports were classed as serious. These are voluntary reports, so they show what people report, not how often it happens.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Potassium Acetate in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Potassium Acetate FDA approval history
How Potassium Acetate went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Potassium Acetate was first approved by the FDA in 1971 (Brand: FREAMINE HBC 6.9% · B Braun); the first generic version was approved in 2015. It remains available in U.S. pharmacies today.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Potassium Acetate recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Potassium Acetate recalls since July 2021.
✅No Potassium Acetate recalls on record since July 2021Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Oct 8, 2026.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 54987 2 dose forms · 2 strengths
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Dose form (SCDF) Injectable Solution RxCUI 373518In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 2 MEQ/MLRxCUI 237381 -
Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1869383In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 20 ML potassium acetate 2 MEQ/MLRxCUI 1871155
Look up RxCUI 54987 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
Potassium Acetate supply and shortage status
Whether Potassium Acetate is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
Potassium Acetate brand names
Potassium Acetate is sold under one brand name in the FDA directory — Potassium Acetate. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Potassium Acetate: manufacturers and labelers
3 companies list Potassium Acetate products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, Hospira, Inc., Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Potassium Acetate drug class (RxNorm)
Potassium Acetate belongs to the Electrolyte solutions class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
Sources for this Potassium Acetate page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How this page is built
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Hospira, Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →