In short
Potassium acetate is a mineral and electrolyte supplement given by intravenous infusion to prevent or treat low potassium levels in the body. It is an established medicine, not an investigational substance. The clinical trial record in the EU registry concerns sodium bicarbonate, not potassium acetate, and therefore does not investigate this substance. Potassium acetate is used in hospital settings for potassium replenishment.
Key points
- Potassium acetate is a mineral and electrolyte supplement given by intravenous infusion.
- It prevents and treats low potassium levels (hypokalaemia) in the body.
- It is an authorised medicine, available as a concentrated solution for dilution before use.
- The solution provides 2 mEq of potassium per millilitre.
- Potassium acetate can cause potassium intoxication if levels become too high.
- The EU clinical trial listed in the data investigates sodium bicarbonate, not potassium acetate.
What is potassium acetate?
Potassium acetate is a mineral and electrolyte supplement. It is a sterile, concentrated solution of potassium acetate in water for injection, classified as a mineral and electrolyte drug. The chemical name is CH3COOK, and it appears as colorless crystals or a white crystalline powder that dissolves very easily in water. It is an authorised medicine used in hospitals and clinics, not an investigational substance.
How does potassium acetate work?
Potassium is the main positively charged ion (cation) inside the body's cells and plays an important role in fluid and electrolyte balance. The normal concentration of potassium inside cells is about 160 milliequivalents per litre (mEq/L), while the normal range in the blood serum is 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L. The kidneys normally regulate potassium balance. The acetate part of the medicine is converted in the liver into bicarbonate, which acts as an alternate source of hydrogen ion acceptors and helps maintain the body's acid-base balance.
Which conditions is it used for?
- Low potassium levels (hypokalaemia) — potassium acetate prevents and treats low levels of potassium in the body, which is important for the health of the kidneys, heart, muscles, and nervous system.
- Potassium replenishment during intravenous fluid therapy — the solution is used as an alternative to potassium chloride to add potassium to large-volume infusion fluids for intravenous use.
How is potassium acetate given?
Potassium acetate is given by infusion into a vein, in a hospital or clinic setting. It is available as a concentrated solution that must be diluted before use and must never be administered undiluted. The product is supplied in strengths of 200 mEq/100 mL and 100 mEq/50 mL, both at a concentration of 2 mEq per millilitre. Each millilitre contains 196 mg of potassium acetate, providing 2 mEq each of potassium and acetate. A pharmacy bulk package is also available for preparing sterile parenteral nutrient admixtures.
What do the clinical trials show?
The EU Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) record provided in the data does not investigate potassium acetate. It is a Phase 3 trial (identifier 2025-523914-10-00) that evaluates sodium bicarbonate, not potassium acetate, in 660 critically ill patients with metabolic acidosis and acute kidney injury. The trial compares several intravenous infusion solutions, including sodium hydrogen carbonate, but potassium acetate is not among the interventions studied. Therefore, no clinical trial data on potassium acetate is available from this record.
What side effects are known?
The main known adverse reaction is potassium intoxication, which occurs when potassium levels in the body become too high. Signs and symptoms of potassium intoxication include tingling or abnormal sensations in the arms and legs (paresthesias), flaccid paralysis, listlessness, mental confusion, weakness and heaviness of the legs, low blood pressure (hypotension), cardiac arrhythmias, heart block, and electrocardiographic abnormalities such as disappearance of waves, spreading and slurring of the QRS complex with development of biphasic curve, and cardiac arrest. Potassium administration is contraindicated in patients with severe renal insufficiency or adrenal insufficiency and in diseases where high potassium levels may be encountered.