In your opinion should all patients on K+ removing diuretics take K +supplements?

[Blackheartednurse]

I work in a home health nursing.Some of my patients are on a potassium wasting diuretics,should I request for a K+ order from a doctor,that is what one of the season nurses I work with told me to do so>Just wondering what other experienced nurses have to say about that?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Depends on the whole picture. Many of my renal pts are on hefty doses (>180mg/day) and they don't need the additional K+.

It might be something I would suggest but I certainly wouldn't advise the pt to take K+ supplements without an MD/provider order.

[nurseely5566]

I work in LTC, and if I see someone on a K+ removing diuretic, I will let the M.D. know. That gives him the choice. He will usually order monthly or bi-weekly labs and/or order potassium. :)

[Blackheartednurse]

I work in LTC, and if I see someone on a K+ removing diuretic, I will let the M.D. know. That gives him the choice. He will usually order monthly or bi-weekly labs and/or order potassium. :)

Well my patients do get their blood drawn every month.

Also maybe I can teach them to eat foods rich in potassium?

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Again, it depends on the patient, as well as their entire drug regimen, which is why they require routine labs. I would check with the MD about any potassium supplementation whether prescribed or dietary.

A patient with renal impairment may have difficulty eliminating potassium and thus should restrict its intake.

Also some heart failure patients take both Aldactone and Lasix and may not need potassium replacement.

Hopefully you have access to your patient's lab results.

[JenniferSews]

I usually see the two together, so when I don't see a K+ supplement and the pt has good renal function I will usually mention to the doc. One time the doc said good call, thanks for the heads up! The labs came back with low K and a supplement was started. The next time his office nurse called me back and left a rather snotty "there's probably a good reason they aren't on K" message.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Depends on what other meds the patient is taking, what his K+ level is, the patient's condition, patient's kidneys, his diet, reason he's taking the diuretic...for example, if a patient's K+ is high and he's on furosemide to lower it, to order K-Clor supplements would be defeating the purpose.

It never hurts to mention a supplement to the doc, though.

[steelcityrn, RN]

It seems in most ederly patient you do see them ordered together, but if a patient is on lasik and does not display any signs of low k level, I would only suggest some routine lab work. Its something you always have to be aware of if they are not on potassium.