Factors influencing serum potassium in treated hypertension

A retrospective survey of serum potassium measurements in a blood pressure clinic provided evidence that potassium supplements averaging 24 mmol daily were effective in elevating serum potassium concentration and reducing the incidence of hypokalaemia in diuretic-treated hypertensives. In patients treated with bendrofluazide the serum potassium concentration was related to the dose of diuretic, but not to age, sex, body weight, supine blood pressure or serum creatinine. There was no evidence that drugs other than diuretics or potassium (including beta-adrenergic blockers) had a clinically significant influence on serum potassium. The major part of the variation in serum potassium between patients could not be explained by the variables examined.