Potassium Chloride Powder

Potassium chloride is a medication used in the management and treatment of hypokalemia. It is in the electrolyte supplement class of medications. This activity outlines the indications, action, and contraindications for potassium chloride as a valuable agent in the management and treatment of hypokalemia.

Potassium chloride is a medicine used to prevent or treat low potassium levels in the body. Potassium is a mineral that your body needs for proper functioning of the heart, muscles, kidneys, nerves, and digestive system. Certain diseases, illnesses, and drugs can remove potassium from the body.
 
Fertilizer
The majority of the potassium chloride produced is used for making fertilizer, called potash, since the growth of many plants is limited by potassium availability. Potassium chloride sold as fertilizer is known as muriate of potash. The vast majority of potash fertilizer worldwide is sold as muriate of potash.

Potassium chloride, compacted, fertilizer grade. Medical useMain article: Potassium chloride (medical use)

Potassium is vital in the human body, and potassium chloride by mouth is the common means to treat low blood potassium, although it can also be given intravenously. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[10] Overdose causes hyperkalemia which can disrupt cell signaling to the extent that the heart will stop, reversibly in the case of some open heart surgeries.

Culinary use
It can be used as a salt substitute for food, but due to its weak, bitter, unsalty flavor, it is often mixed with ordinary table salt (sodium chloride) to improve the taste to form low sodium salt. The addition of 1 ppm of thaumatin considerably reduces this bitterness.[11] Complaints of bitterness or a chemical or metallic taste are also reported with potassium chloride used in food.

As a chemical feedstock, it is used for the manufacture of potassium hydroxide and potassium metal. It is also used in medicine, lethal injections, scientific applications, food processing, soaps, and as a sodium-free substitute for table salt for people concerned about the health effects of sodium.

It is used as a supplement in animal feed to boost the potassium level in the feed. As an added benefit, it is known to increase milk production.