Use of probenecid in ticarcillin-induced hypokalemia

Probenecid has been suggested as a prophylactic treatment of penicillin-induced hypokalemia, the proposed mechanism being that penicillin will be prevented from acting as a nonreabsorbable anion binding potassium and resulting in increased urinary losses. A rapidly occurring hypokalemia, unresponsive to intravenous replacement of potassium, can be explained by redistribution rather than urinary wastage. We report a case where probenecid was administered for ticarcillin-induced hypokalemia without any significant benefits.