Key result
Potassium supplements, spironolactone, or amiloride increased plasma potassium but did not significantly increase total body or red cell potassium in heart failure patients taking furosemide.
Why the study?
Does administration of potassium supplements, spironolactone, or amiloride increase total body potassium in heart failure patients taking furosemide?
Does administration of potassium supplements, spironolactone, or amiloride increase total body potassium in heart failure patients taking furosemide?
In heart failure patients on furosemide, potassium supplementation or potassium-sparing diuretics increase plasma potassium but do not significantly increase total body or red cell potassium, suggesting no significant body potassium depletion.
Plasma K rises without total body gains in furosemide-treated HF; leaves open whether supplementation corrects depletion.
Extra potassium supplements, spironolactone or amiloride were given for 5 months to forty-nine patients with heart failure who were taking furosemide and were in a steady state. Plasma potassium increased with all three treatments but there was no significant increase in total body potassium or red cell potassium. These findings together with other studies suggest that patients with heart failure taking diuretics do not have a significant depletion of body potassium.
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Davidson et al. (1978) studied heart failure (n=49). Potassium supplements, spironolactone or amiloride was evaluated on Plasma potassium, total body potassium, and red cell potassium. Potassium supplements, spironolactone, or amiloride increased plasma potassium but did not significantly increase total body or red cell potassium in heart failure patients taking furosemide.
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