K-Vescent - Talk Medical

Generic Name: potassium bicarbonate

Brands: K+Care ET, K-Effervescent, K-Vescent

What is the most important information I should know about K-Vescent?

· Take each dose with a full glass of water.

· Take K-Vescent with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.

· Do not take salt substitutes or drink low-salt milk while taking K-Vescent unless your doctor approves. Salt substitutes and low-salt milk usually contain potassium. You may get too much potassium and suffer from side effects if you use these products.

What is K-Vescent?

· Potassium is a mineral that is found naturally in foods and is necessary for many normal functions of your body, especially the beating of your heart.

· K-Vescent is used to prevent or to treat a potassium deficiency.

· K-Vescent may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Who should not take K-Vescent?

· Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you ·have kidney disease; ·are taking a potassium-sparing diuretic such as triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide), spironolactone (Aldactone, Aldactazide), or amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic); ·have Addison's disease; ·have an ulcer or an intestinal blockage; or ·have chronic diarrhea.

· You may not be able to take K-Vescent, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

· K-Vescent is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether K-Vescent will harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.

· It is also not known whether potassium passes into breast milk. As long as potassium levels in your body are within the normal range, this medication is not expected to harm a nursing infant. Talk to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take K-Vescent?

· Take K-Vescent exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

· Take each dose with a full glass of water.

· Take K-Vescent with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.

· Mix the effervescent tablets with at least 4 ounces (one-half cup) of water. Mix it thoroughly and drink it immediately.

· Store K-Vescent at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

· Take the missed dose as soon as you remember up to 2 hours late. If more than 2 hours have passed since the dose you missed, skip that dose and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

· Seek emergency medical attention.

· Symptoms of a K-Vescent overdose include paralysis; numbness or tingling in the hands, arms, legs, or feet; an irregular heartbeat; low blood pressure (dizziness, confusion, weakness, fatigue); seizures; coma; and heart attack.

What should I avoid while taking K-Vescent?

· Do not stop taking this medication unless your doctor approves. Stopping could make your condition much worse.

What are the possible side effects of K-Vescent?

· If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking K-Vescent and seek emergency medical attention: ·an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); ·confusion; ·an irregular heartbeat; ·difficulty breathing; ·unusual fatigue, weakness, or heavy legs; ·abdominal pain or severe cramping; or ·black, bloody, or tarry stools.

· Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take K-Vescent and talk to your doctor if you experience ·nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal discomfort; ·a rash; ·slight tingling in the hands or feet; or ·anxiety.

· Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect K-Vescent?

· The following drugs may increase the effects of K-Vescent: ·angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) such as benazepril (Lotensin) and captopril (Capoten); ·other commonly used ACE inhibitors, including enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Zestril, Prinivil), moexipril (Univasc), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace); ·potassium-sparing diuretics such as triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide), spironolactone (Aldactone, Aldactazide), and amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic); ·beta-blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin) and propranolol (Inderal); and ·other commonly used beta-blockers, including acebutolol (Sectral), bisoprolol (Zebeta), carteolol (Cartrol), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), nadolol (Corgard), metoprolol (Lopressor), and pindolol (Visken).

· Do not take any of the medicines listed above with K-Vescent except under the supervision of your doctor.

· Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: ·the heart medicine digoxin (Lanoxin); ·a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril, HCTZ, others), chlorothiazide (Diuril, others), metolazone (Zaroxolyn), indapamide (Lozol); ·a steroid such as prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone, others), cortisone (Cortone), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone, others), dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol); or ·an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, others), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), or ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis, Oruvail).

· Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with K-Vescent or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Where can I get more information?

· Your pharmacist has more information about K-Vescent written for health professionals that you may read.

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