Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Chlorvescent.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Chlorvescent is used for
Chlorvescent tablets are used to provide extra potassium for people who have lost potassium from their bodies because of illness or treatment with certain medicines. It is also used for people who do not have enough potassium in their regular diet or cannot replace the potassium they have lost from their diet alone.
Potassium is essential for life and health. Vegetables, potatoes and fruit are good sources of dietary potassium.
However, as too much potassium can be harmful, do not change your dose without first checking with your doctor.
The dose of Chlorvescent may need to be adjusted if your diet is rich in natural sources of potassium.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Chlorvescent has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another purpose.
Before you take it
When you must not take it
Do not take Chlorvescent:
if you have an allergy to it or to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, skin rash, itching or hives.
if you have any of the following medical conditions:
high potassium levels
kidney impairment
stomach ulcers
severe burns or other serious injury
significant dehydration or heat cramps
Addison's Disease - a disease where the adrenal glands don't work properly
if you are taking any medicine for:
high potassium levels
fluid (e.g. diuretics)
if the expiry date on the pack has passed.
If you take it after the expiry date has passed it may not work as well.
if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering or the tablets do not look quite right.
Before you start to take it
You must tell your doctor if:
you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
if you have or have had any other medical conditions, in particular:
any problems with your kidneys, liver or adrenal glands
heart disease
peptic ulcer or other problems with your stomach or gut.
you are on any type of special diet and in particular, if you use salt substitutes on your food.
Salt substitutes containing potassium should be avoided when taking Chlorvescent.
if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
The possibility of side effects can be increased during pregnancy.
you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Chlorvescent passes into breast milk. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of you taking this medicine when breastfeeding.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by Chlorvescent or may affect how well it works. These include:
some types of fluid tablets, also known as "diuretics" (e.g. spironolactone, triamterene or amiloride)
certain types of heart medicines, known as ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers
anti-inflammatory medicines (e.g. NSAIDs).
You may need to take different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
Do not give Chlorvescent to children.
The safety of this medicine in children has not been established.
How to take it
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the label, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Do not take more than your doctor tells you to.
The usual dose is 1 or 2 tablets taken two to three times a day (i.e. 2 to 6 tablets each day). The amount you need will depend on your condition.
When to take it
Take Chlorvescent at meal times.
Taking it with food or immediately after food will reduce the chance of you having a stomach irritation.
How to take it
Dissolve the tablet completely in one-half to one glass of cold water.
Chlorvescent tablets are effervescent and need to be dissolved completely in water before swallowing.
Do not crush or chew the tablets.
How long to take it
Continue taking Chlorvescent until your doctor tells you to stop.
Your doctor may need to check the potassium levels in your blood to help decide when you should stop taking Chlorvescent.
If you forget to take it
If you forget to take your medicine, take your dose as soon as you remember.
Do not try to make up for missed doses by taking more than one dose at a time.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Chlorvescent.
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are taking it
Things you must do
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Chlorvescent.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist before you start any new medicine.
Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor may do blood tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Chlorvescent.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits of taking it during pregnancy.
Things you must not do
Do not take it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking your medicine or increase the dose even if you think it is not working.
Do not start taking salt substitutes without first discussing this with your doctor or pharmacist.
It may be necessary to avoid salt substitutes containing potassium when taking Chlorvescent.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms or conditions as you.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Chlorvescent.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything unusual or if you are concerned about any aspect of your health, even if you think the problems are not connected with this medicine and are not referred to in this leaflet.
This medicine helps most people needing a potassium supplement but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting
diarrhoea or discomfort in your stomach or gut
These common side effects may be reduced by drinking a fully dissolved Chlorvescent dose at meal times.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you experience:
slow, irregular heart beat
mental confusion
unexplained anxiety
numbness or tingling in hands, feet or lips
shortness of breath or difficult breathing
unusual tiredness or weakness
weakness or heaviness of legs.
These serious side effects may mean that you are getting too much potassium and you may need medical attention. These serious side effects are rare.
Stop taking Chlorvescent and tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you suspect any problems with your kidneys.
These are very rare side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using it
Storage
Keep your tablets in the closed tube until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the tube they may not keep as well.
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C. Do not expose them to direct sunlight.
Do not store Chlorvescent or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep Chlorvescent tablets where children cannot reach them.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Chlorvescent tablets are flat, round, white or white to yellow.
They are available in packs of 60 tablets (2 plastic tubes with 30 tablets in each).
Ingredients
Each Chlorvescent tablet contains:
Active ingredients:
potassium chloride 595 mg
potassium carbonate 152 mg
potassium bicarbonate 384 mg.
Inactive ingredients:
acesulfame potassium
aspartame
citric acid
leucine
macrogol 6000
sorbitol
blackcurrant flavour 502009 AP0551.
Chlorvescent does not contain lactose, gluten, sucrose or azo dyes.
