FDA-filed SPL labeling · retrieved through openFDA

Potassium Citrate

Potassium citrate is an oral medication used to manage kidney stones — including calcium oxalate stones, uric acid stones, and stones related to renal tubular acidosis.

Brand names Urocit-kPotassium Citrate Extended Release
Drug classes ⓘ Acidifying Activity
Rx Forms 2 Route Oral
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026
🧬 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 31 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 →

At a glance
Linked label effectiveDec 16, 2025
Clinical labels in scope ⓘ31
AvailabilityRx
Earliest approval/marketing year ⓘ1985
FDA-listed product records ⓘ119
Boxed warningNone found in compared labels
How we combine label and product data →
✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Sep 17, 2026
⭐ Potassium Citrate at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
💊
HelloPharmacist Editorial Team Bottom Line
Potassium citrate is a prescription oral medication that helps prevent kidney stones by raising urinary citrate levels and making urine less acidic. It treats calcium oxalate stones, uric acid stones, and stones linked to renal tubular acidosis. The biggest risk is a rise in potassium levels in the blood, so regular monitoring is essential — take it with food and keep all follow-up appointments.
How we write & review this content — our editorial policy →

📖 Potassium Citrate: Patient Information Guide

A plain-language walkthrough of Potassium Citrate — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.

🎯What it's used for▾

Potassium citrate is an oral medication approved to manage kidney stones in three specific situations:

  • Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) with calcium stones — a kidney condition where the body can't properly regulate its acid-base balance, leading to calcium stone formation
  • Hypocitraturic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis of any cause — calcium oxalate kidney stones in people who have low citrate levels in their urine, regardless of the underlying reason
  • Uric acid lithiasis with or without calcium stones — uric acid kidney stones, sometimes accompanied by calcium stones

These uses are supported by Urocit-K extended-release tablets, Potassium Citrate extended-release tablets, and Potassium Citrate tablets. All three formulations are taken orally.

⚙️How it works▾

When you take potassium citrate, your body metabolizes the citrate and produces what's called an alkaline load — essentially, it nudges your body chemistry in a less acidic direction. This raises the pH of your urine (makes it less acidic) and increases the amount of citrate your kidneys release into the urine. More citrate in the urine is key: citrate binds to calcium, reducing the free calcium that would otherwise combine with oxalate or phosphate to form crystals. Citrate also directly blocks the early steps of calcium crystal formation. At the same time, the rise in urine pH converts uric acid into a more soluble form, making uric acid stones much less likely to develop.

💊How it's taken▾

Potassium citrate is taken by mouth, typically two or three times a day. Both extended-release and immediate-release tablets should be taken with meals or within 30 minutes after meals, or with a bedtime snack — food helps protect the stomach. Your prescriber will set your dose based on urine tests and adjust it over time.

  • Drink enough fluids to produce at least two liters of urine daily
  • Reduce salt in your diet as part of your full treatment plan
  • Your doctor will monitor your blood potassium, kidney function, and blood counts every four months, or more often if needed
  • Follow your prescriber's instructions exactly; do not change your dose on your own
🤒Side effects — in detail▾

The most common side effects involve the digestive system:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal discomfort or stomach upset
  • Diarrhea or loose stools
  • Finding intact tablet shells (wax matrices) in your stool — this is expected and harmless

Taking your dose with food usually helps reduce stomach irritation. However, if you develop severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, or see blood in your stool, stop the medication and contact your doctor right away — these can be signs of a more serious problem in the digestive tract.

⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
  • High potassium (hyperkalemia): This is the most serious risk. Potassium citrate adds potassium to your body, and if your kidneys can't clear it efficiently, levels can build to dangerous — even life-threatening — heights very quickly and without obvious symptoms. People with chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or severe heart muscle damage are at greatest risk. Regular blood tests and EKGs are essential while on this medication.
  • Gastrointestinal lesions: Extended-release potassium formulations can cause irritation, sores, or injury to the lining of the stomach or intestines. Severe vomiting, significant abdominal pain, or gastrointestinal bleeding are warning signs — stop the medication and seek care immediately.
  • Stopping treatment: Your doctor will discontinue potassium citrate if blood potassium rises too high, kidney function significantly declines, or your red blood cell count drops significantly.
🔀What it interacts with▾

Potassium citrate can interact with several medications that affect potassium levels or gut movement:

  • Potassium-sparing diuretics (triamterene, spironolactone, amiloride) — combining these with potassium citrate can cause severely high potassium; this combination should be avoided
  • RAAS inhibitors — ACE inhibitors, ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers), spironolactone, eplerenone, and aliskiren all raise potassium by blocking aldosterone; monitor potassium closely if you take any of these
  • NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) — these can raise potassium levels by affecting kidney hormone signaling; monitor potassium if you use NSAIDs regularly
  • Anticholinergic medications (drugs that slow gut movement) — slowing the tablet's passage through the intestine can increase local irritation and raise the risk of digestive side effects

This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

📋Before taking it▾
  • Do not take potassium citrate if you have high potassium levels (hyperkalemia) or conditions that predispose you to it — including chronic kidney failure, uncontrolled diabetes, acute severe dehydration, adrenal insufficiency, or extensive tissue breakdown
  • Do not take it if you have peptic ulcer disease — it can aggravate ulcers
  • Do not take it if you have an active urinary tract infection — the medication's effects may be reduced and the infection could worsen
  • Do not take it if you have significant kidney insufficiency (GFR below 0.7 ml/kg/min) due to risks of soft tissue calcification and hyperkalemia
  • Do not take it if you have any condition that delays or blocks tablet movement through the gut (delayed gastric emptying, esophageal compression, intestinal obstruction or stricture), or if you take anticholinergic medications
  • Pregnancy: It is not known whether potassium citrate can harm a developing baby. Use only if your doctor determines it's clearly necessary
  • Breastfeeding: It is not known whether this medication affects potassium levels in breast milk. Use only if clearly needed
  • Children: Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established
  • Tell your doctor if you have heart disease, heart failure, or acidosis — you will need more frequent monitoring
🚑If you take too much▾

Taking too much potassium citrate can lead to dangerously high potassium levels (hyperkalemia), which may not cause obvious symptoms at first but can show up on an EKG as changes to the heart's electrical pattern. In severe cases, it can cause muscle paralysis and cardiac arrest. If overdose is suspected, emergency medical treatment focuses on monitoring heart rhythm, removing potassium sources from the body, and — in serious situations — measures like IV medications or dialysis to bring potassium levels down safely.

📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾

Potassium citrate raises the amount of citrate in the urine and increases urinary pH (makes urine less acidic). These two changes make urine less likely to allow kidney stones to form. The extra citrate binds calcium in the urine, lowering free calcium available to crystallize with oxalate or phosphate. A higher urine pH converts uric acid to a more soluble form, reducing uric acid stone risk. With regular dosing, urine citrate levels peak within about three days and stay consistently elevated throughout the day.

🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾

After a single oral dose, the rise in urinary citrate begins within the first hour and lasts about 12 hours. With ongoing dosing, citrate excretion reaches its peak effect by the third day. When the medication is stopped, urinary citrate begins to fall back toward pre-treatment levels within the first day. The effect on urine citrate is directly related to the dose taken.

📦How to store it▾

Store in a tight container.

📄 Written from Potassium Citrate’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →

🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Potassium Citrate — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What exactly is potassium citrate doing to stop my kidney stones? ▾
Great question. Potassium citrate works in two main ways. First, it increases the amount of citrate in your urine — citrate acts like a natural stone-fighter by grabbing onto calcium so it can't pair up with oxalate and form crystals. Second, it makes your urine less acidic, which helps dissolve uric acid stones and keeps calcium from crystallizing too. Think of it as changing the chemistry of your urine so stones have a much harder time forming.
Do I have to take this with food? Does it really matter? ▾
Yes, it really does matter. You should take your dose with meals or within 30 minutes after eating — or with a bedtime snack if you have a dose then. Taking it on an empty stomach is more likely to irritate your stomach and cause nausea, vomiting, or stomach discomfort. Food helps protect your digestive tract. If you still get an upset stomach with food, let your doctor know — the dose can sometimes be adjusted.
I noticed something in the toilet that looked like my tablet. Should I be worried? ▾
Not at all — this is actually expected with extended-release formulations. The outer wax matrix (the tablet shell) doesn't fully dissolve, so it can pass through and show up in your stool whole or partially intact. The medication itself has already been released and absorbed into your body by the time that happens. It looks odd, but it's completely normal.
What symptoms should make me call my doctor right away? ▾
Two things to watch for especially. First, signs of high potassium — muscle weakness, feeling faint, an irregular heartbeat, or unusual fatigue. These can come on without much warning, which is why your doctor will check your blood regularly. Second, serious gut symptoms — severe stomach pain, vomiting that won't stop, or blood in your stool. If any of these happen, stop the medication and call your doctor or go to urgent care right away.
Can I take ibuprofen or my blood pressure medication along with potassium citrate? ▾
Possibly, but your doctor needs to know about everything you take. Both NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen and certain blood pressure medications — especially ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or spironolactone — can raise your potassium levels on their own. Combined with potassium citrate, the risk of potassium building up too high goes up. This doesn't always mean you can't take them together, but your doctor will want to monitor your potassium more closely. Potassium-sparing diuretics like triamterene or amiloride are a combination that should generally be avoided.
Is it safe to take potassium citrate if I'm pregnant or trying to get pregnant? ▾
There isn't enough research to know for certain whether potassium citrate can affect a developing baby — animal studies haven't been done, and human data is very limited. The general guidance is that it should only be used during pregnancy if your doctor decides the benefit clearly outweighs the uncertainty. If you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, have an honest conversation with your doctor before starting or continuing this medication.
Is Potassium Citrate available over the counter? ▾
Potassium Citrate is dispensed by prescription according to its FDA labeling, so it isn't sold over the counter. Your prescriber and pharmacist will determine if it's appropriate for you.
When was Potassium Citrate first available? ▾
Potassium Citrate has been available in the United States since at least 1985, based on FDA approval history (Drugs@FDA) and product marketing records.
Who makes Potassium Citrate? ▾
Potassium Citrate is supplied by 20 manufacturers listed in the FDA NDC Directory, including Bryant Ranch Prepack, Actavis Pharma, Inc., Mission Pharmacal Company.

💬 Answers drafted from Potassium Citrate’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →

🧰 Keep exploring

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💊 How Potassium Citrate comes

Potassium Citrate is available in 2 forms. 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.

Extended-release tablet

By mouth
Brands Urocit-k
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Urocit-K is indicated for renal tubular acidosis (RTA) with calcium stones
  • Urocit-K is indicated for hypocitraturic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis of any cause
  • Urocit-K is indicated for uric acid lithiasis with or without calcium stones
  • Potassium Citrate extended-release tablets are indicated for the same three kidney stone conditions
Important instructions
  • Urocit-K and Potassium Citrate extended-release tablets should be taken with meals or within 30 minutes after meals, or with a bedtime snack
  • Drink enough fluids to produce at least two liters of urine per day while taking these tablets
  • Limit salt intake as part of your overall treatment plan
  • Your doctor will check your blood electrolytes, kidney function, and blood counts every four months — more often if you have heart disease, kidney disease, or acidosis
Available strengths 5 strengths
540 mg 1080 mg 5 mEq 10 mEq 15 mEq
94 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Tablet

By mouth
Brands Potassium Citrate
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Potassium Citrate tablets are indicated for renal tubular acidosis (RTA) with calcium stones
  • Potassium Citrate tablets are indicated for hypocitraturic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis of any cause
  • Potassium Citrate tablets are indicated for uric acid lithiasis with or without calcium stones
Important instructions
  • Potassium Citrate tablets should be taken with meals or within 30 minutes after meals, or with a bedtime snack
  • Drink enough fluids to produce at least two liters of urine per day
  • Limit salt in your diet as part of your treatment plan
  • Your prescriber will use urine citrate and pH measurements to check whether the dose is working
Available strengths 3 strengths
5 mEq 10 mEq 15 mEq
25 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

📊 Potassium Citrate across the U.S. market

How Potassium Citrate 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.

2
Dose forms ⓘ
20
Manufacturers
3
Brand names
119
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
1985
First marketed ⓘ

FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

Bryant Ranch Prepack22%
Actavis Pharma, Inc.10%
Mission Pharmacal Company8%
Strides Pharma Inc.8%
Golden State Medical Supply, Inc.5%
Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc.5%
Other makers42%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

📈 How widely Potassium Citrate is used

A general measure of how commonly Potassium Citrate 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 Citrate 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.

79,544
Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
$2.7M gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

How commonly is Potassium Citrate prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Potassium Citrate ranks #548 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 66% of them.

Where Potassium Citrate ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5
Total prescriptions — #548 of 1,596
#543 Calcium Acetate 81,167 Rx #544 Budesonide and Albuter... 81,119 Rx #545 Crisaborole Topical 80,367 Rx #546 Gadobutrol 80,211 Rx #547 Alfuzosin 80,100 Rx #548 Potassium Citrate 79,544 Rx #549 Methotrexate Injection 78,302 Rx #550 Amlodipine / Valsartan 77,462 Rx #551 Rifampin 77,313 Rx #552 Clindamycin Vaginal 76,615 Rx #553 Ruxolitinib Topical 76,226 Rx

Utilization by Potassium Citrate 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.

The 10 mEq extended release oral tablet is the most-dispensed Potassium Citrate product — about 66% of these Medicaid prescriptions.

potassium citrate 10 MEQ Extended Release Oral Tablet Most dispensed

52,837 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 66% of Potassium Citrate prescriptions shown $1.8M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $33 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 8 of 47 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 199381

potassium citrate 15 MEQ Extended Release Oral Tablet

23,980 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 30% of Potassium Citrate prescriptions shown $826,859 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $34 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 5 of 36 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 898490

potassium citrate 5 MEQ Extended Release Oral Tablet

2,727 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 3% of Potassium Citrate prescriptions shown $78,367 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $29 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 6 of 29 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 199376

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 Citrate, 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 19 of 112 listed Potassium Citrate NDCs with Medicaid activity.

🔍 Compare Potassium Citrate products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Potassium Citrate — 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.)

Showing 119 of 119 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 119 Potassium Citrate NDCs →

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.

Ingredient (IN) Potassium Citrate RxCUI 54993 2 dose forms · 4 strengths
  1. Dose form (SCDF) Extended Release Oral Tablet RxCUI 373529 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 5 MEQ RxCUI 199376 10 MEQ RxCUI 199381 15 MEQ RxCUI 898490
  2. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Capsule RxCUI 373526 No current FDA listing
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 99 MG RxCUI 248421

Look up RxCUI 54993 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.

🏷️ Sold under these brand names

Urocit-k Potassium Citrate Extended Release

🏭 Manufacturers & labelers

Bryant Ranch Prepack 26 Actavis Pharma, Inc. 12 Mission Pharmacal Company 10 Strides Pharma Inc. 9 Golden State Medical Supply, Inc. 6 Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. 6 Remedyrepack Inc. 6 PD-Rx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 6 Bionpharma Inc. 4 Rising Pharma Holdings, Inc. 4 ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4 Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC 4 Cadila Healthcare Limited 3 Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc 3 Biocomp Pharma, Inc. 3 Ascent Pharmaceuticals Inc 3 XLCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3 Zydus Lifesciences Limited 3 AvKARE 2 American Health Packaging 2

RxNorm drug class

Potassium Citrate belongs to the Potassium class.

Drug family (ATC) Potassium

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.

🔬 Where this comes from

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.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Dec 16, 2025
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Potassium Citrate.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Potassium Citrate after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
31
NDC products indexed
119
Distinct labelers/manufacturers represented
20
Linked representative label ⓘ
Biocomp Pharma, Inc.
Linked label effective
Dec 16, 2025
Composite sections available
20
Linked SPL Set ID
b32fe71a-4a58-04a1-64d3-bc3cc4a895bf
Linked SPL Document ID
461546fa-70f8-dad0-e063-6394a90a4675
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

How we combine label and product data

HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 31 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.

For canonical ingredient pages, bounded product-attributed indication and administration excerpts may be added to the AI evidence, and the generator is instructed to preserve available product, brand, route, and form qualifiers instead of treating one label as universal. Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Biocomp Pharma, Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.

This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.