The unit used to express an IV potassium chloride infusion rate is?

• A. mg/hr
• B. mEq/hr
• C. g/hr
• D. mL/hr

Answer: (B)

Dosing IV potassium chloride is reported as milliequivalents per hour because we’re delivering a specific amount of potassium ions, not a specific amount of salt or a volume of fluid. Potassium’s effect depends on how many potassium ions (K+) the patient receives, and those ions are measured in milliequivalents. Using mEq/hr standardizes dosing across different salt forms and concentrations, ensuring the actual potassium load is clear and safe to titrate. Expressing the rate in mg/hr or g/hr would tie the dose to weight and wouldn’t directly reflect how much potassium the patient gets, since different formulations have different potassium-to-salt ratios. Expressing it in mL/hr would tell you how much fluid is infused, but not how much potassium is delivered. So, mEq/hr best conveys the true electrolyte dose being given and is the standard for IV potassium replacement.