I am having trouble finding what K-riders are. I know that they are or having something to do with potassium, but are they just potassium IV?

I cant seem to find it on the internet. Thanks so much.

3 Answers

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

It's s slang term for a piggyback of potassium chloride (usually no more than 10meq of kcl in 100 ml of ns). They are given when k+ levels are very low. It must be run on an iv pump. Some facilities do not allow it to be infused without the patient being in icu and on telemetry. I saw them run a lot as an iv therapist and they can be very irritating to peripheral ivs--we had to restart many an iv because of k-riders being given. The patients often complain that the solution burns as it is infusing into peripheral veins. Read your drug information on iv potassium infusions. It should not be infused faster than 10 meq per hour to avoid sending the patient into heart block.

There is an interesting older thread about this:

Patient crashing / k+ rider

Specializes in CTICU.

Yes, they are potassium chloride infusions.

Specializes in teaching, research, and evidence-based practice.

Yes, it is simply IV potassium. Not sure when, where, why, or how this term originated, but it's safer and more accurate to use correct terminology. Think Five Rights of Medication Administration. "K Rider" does not address the right drug name, the dose, or the route.

+ Add a Comment