Upper gastrointestinal lesions after potassium chloride supplements: a controlled clinical trial

The effects of a new microencapsulated potassium chloride formulation on upper gastrointestinal tract mucosa was compared with that of a popular wax-matrix formulation in 48 healthy volunteers. After a week of KCl, subjects were gastroscoped, the endoscopist being blind to the type of preparation taken. Wax-matrix formulations were associated with a higher incidence of upper gastrointestinal lesions. The lesions were not accompanied by epigastric symptoms. Glycopyrrolate, given to some volunteers to decrease gastric emptying, aggravated the effects of potassium chloride.