Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
Note on this source. The FDA label used for this page covers a combination product listed as Potassium Citrate And Citric Acid Monohydrate. The information below therefore describes that product, not Citric Acid Monohydrate on its own. Check the label of the specific product you have.
Quick facts
- How it is given
- oral
- Type
- human prescription drug
- RxNorm ID
- 309318
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid Oral Solution USP is an effective alkalinizing agent useful in those conditions where long-term maintenance of an alkaline urine is desirable, such as in patients with uric acid and cystine calculi of the urinary tract, especially when the administration of sodium salts is undesirable or contraindicated. In addition, it is a valuable adjuvant when administered with uricosuric agents in gout therapy, since urates tend to crystallize out of an acid urine. It is also effective in correcting the acidosis of certain renal tubular disorders where the administration of potassium citrate may be preferable. This product is highly concentrated, and when administered after meals and before bedtime, allows one to maintain an alkaline urinary pH around the clock, usually without the necessity of a 2 A.M. dose. This product alkalinizes the urine without producing a systemic alkalosis in recommended dosage. It is highly palatable, pleasant tasting and tolerable, even when administered for long periods. Potassium citrate does not neutralize the gastric juice or disturb digestion.
About this medicine
DESCRIPTION Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid Oral Solution USP is a stable and pleasant-tasting oral systemic alkalizer containing potassium citrate and citric acid in a sugar-free, non-alcoholic base. Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid Oral Solution USP contains in each teaspoonful (5 mL): POTASSIUM CITRATE Monohydrate 1100 mg CITRIC ACID Monohydrate 334 mg Each mL contains 2 mEq potassium ion and is equivalent to 2 mEq bicarbonate (HCO 3 ). Inactive Ingredients: FD&C Red No. 40, flavoring, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, purified water, sodium benzoate, and sorbitol solution.
How it works
ACTIONS Potassium citrate is absorbed and metabolized to potassium bicarbonate, thus acting as a systemic alkalizer. The effects are essentially those of chlorides before absorption and those of bicarbonates subsequently. Oxidation is virtually complete so that less than 5% of the potassium citrate is excreted in the urine unchanged.
Who should not take it
CONTRAINDICATIONS Severe renal impairment with oliguria or azotemia, untreated Addison's disease, adynamia episodica hereditaria, acute dehydration, heat cramps, anuria, severe myocardial damage, and hyperkalemia from any cause.
Warnings
WARNINGS Large doses may cause hyperkalemia and alkalosis, especially in the presence of renal disease. Concurrent administration of potassium-containing medication, potassium-sparing diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, or cardiac glycosides may lead to toxicity.
Reported side effects
ADVERSE REACTIONS Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid Oral Solution USP is generally well tolerated without any unpleasant side effects when given in recommended doses to patients with normal renal function and urinary output. However, as with any alkalinizing agent, caution must be used in certain patients with abnormal renal mechanisms to avoid development of hyperkalemia or alkalosis. Potassium intoxication causes listlessness, weakness, mental confusion, tingling of extremities, and other symptoms associated with a high concentration of potassium in the serum. Periodic determinations of serum electrolytes should be carried out in those patients with renal disease in order to avoid these complications. Hyperkalemia may exhibit the following electrocardiographic abnormalities: Disappearance of the P wave, widening and slurring of QRS complex, changes of the S-T segment, tall peaked T waves, etc. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Pharmaceutical Associates, Inc. at 1-800-845-8210 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
If too much is taken
OVERDOSAGE The administration of oral potassium salts to persons with normal excretory mechanisms for potassium rarely causes serious hyperkalemia. However, if excretory mechanisms are impaired, hyperkalemia can result (see Contraindications and Warnings ). Hyperkalemia, when detected, must be treated immediately because lethal levels can be reached in a few hours.
Storing it safely
STORAGE Keep tightly closed. Store at controlled room temperature, 20°-25°C (68°-77°F). Protect from excessive heat and freezing.
Before you take anything new
Tell your pharmacist or doctor about every medicine you take — including ones bought without a prescription, herbal products and supplements. Interactions are one of the most common avoidable causes of harm from medicines, and a pharmacist can check your full list in a couple of minutes.
This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 19 November 2024. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.