Potassium Iodide

Jai Ganesh · Today 00:06:14

Potassium Iodide

Gist

Potassium iodide (KI) is an inorganic compound used to protect the thyroid gland from radiation, treat iodine deficiency, and manage specific skin conditions. Primarily taken as a tablet, it blocks the absorption of radioactive iodine during emergencies and serves as a supplement to combat hyperthyroidism and goiter.

Potassium iodide (KI) is a medication used to protect the thyroid gland from radiation during emergencies, treat hyperthyroidism and thyroid storm, and act as an expectorant to loosen mucus in the lungs. It is also used to treat certain fungal infections (sporotrichosis) and chronic skin conditions like erythema nodosum.

Summary

Potassium iodide (KI) is a chemical compound, medication, and dietary supplement. It is a medication used for treating hyperthyroidism, in radiation emergencies, and for protecting the thyroid gland when certain types of radiopharmaceuticals are used. It is also used for treating skin sporotrichosis and phycomycosis. It is a supplement used by people with low dietary intake of iodine. It is administered orally.

Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, and swelling of the salivary glands. Other side effects include allergic reactions, headache, goitre, and depression. While use during pregnancy may harm the baby, its use is still recommended in radiation emergencies. Potassium iodide has the chemical formula KI. Commercially it is made by mixing potassium hydroxide with iodine.

Potassium iodide has been used medically since at least 1820. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Potassium iodide is available as a generic medication and over the counter. Potassium iodide is also used for the iodization of salt.

Details

Potassium iodide (KI) is a medication that treats certain medical conditions — including some thyroid conditions — and protects your thyroid from radiation exposure. Never take KI without talking to a healthcare provider first. They’ll make sure it’s safe for you and explain proper dosing.

Overview:

What is potassium iodide?

Potassium iodide is a salt that healthcare providers sometimes use as a medication to treat certain thyroid conditions or protect your thyroid from radiation exposure.

Potassium iodide acts as a thyroid blocker, which means it stops your thyroid from releasing thyroid hormone. This can be useful in certain situations, like if your thyroid is producing high levels of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism). Potassium iodide can also help protect your thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine that accidentally enters your body.

Healthcare providers intentionally use radioactive iodine — in controlled, safe amounts — for certain imaging tests and treatments. Nuclear weapon detonations and nuclear power plant accidents release unsafe amounts of radioactive iodine (radioiodine) into the air, water and soil. Potassium iodide can protect you from such unintended environmental exposure.

Potassium iodide comes in pill (tablet) and liquid forms. Some forms require a prescription, while others you can get over the counter (OTC). You should only take potassium iodide in any form if your healthcare provider or public health officials tell you to do so. Remember that just because you can buy something over the counter doesn’t mean it’s safe or appropriate for you to take.

What conditions are treated with potassium iodide?

Healthcare providers sometimes use potassium iodide to treat:

* Hyperthyroidism, particularly when associated with Graves’ disease.
* Thyroid storm.
* Some skin conditions, including cutaneous sporotrichosis (a fungal infection).
* Iodine deficiency.

Potassium iodide is also a prescription-strength expectorant. If you have a chronic lung disease, your healthcare provider may prescribe potassium iodide to loosen mucus and make it easier for you to cough.

Potassium iodide can also help protect your thyroid:

* During radiation emergencies (like a nuclear power plant meltdown).
* During medical testing (like MIBG scans) or treatments that expose your thyroid to radiation.

Potassium iodide for radiation

Potassium iodide is best known for protecting people during a radiation emergency. But it’s important to know there are limitations. Potassium iodide only protects your thyroid from radioactive iodine (one specific radioactive material). It doesn’t protect other parts of your body, and it doesn’t protect you from all the other radioactive materials you might be exposed to that could cause radiation sickness.

Healthcare providers and public health officials only recommend using potassium iodide in certain types of radiation emergencies. These typically include nuclear power plant accidents.

Potassium iodide won’t completely protect you if a nuclear bomb goes off because the greatest threat in that situation isn’t radioactive iodine. You’d be exposed to hundreds of other types of radioactive materials, and potassium iodide has no effect on those. If a bomb goes off, don’t worry about trying to find potassium iodide. Instead, seek shelter indoors and follow local officials’ guidance.

Thyroid protection after a nuclear power plant accident

Potassium iodide can help protect your thyroid from radioactive iodine released in a nuclear power plant accident. Here’s why. Your thyroid needs iodine to function normally and produce thyroid hormone. But it doesn’t know the difference between normal iodine (like what you get from your food) and radioactive iodine. This means your thyroid grabs iodine from wherever it can.

Nuclear power plant accidents may release radioactive iodine into the nearby environment. If you breathe in contaminated air or eat contaminated food, the radioactive iodine can enter your body. Your thyroid then absorbs it. Depending on the amount that gets into your body, radioactive iodine can damage your thyroid and potentially lead to thyroid cancer down the road.

The younger you are, the more vulnerable you are to the harmful effects of radioactive iodine. Babies and children face the greatest threat. If you’re pregnant, radioactive iodine is more dangerous for you compared to other adults because your thyroid is more active during pregnancy.

That’s where potassium iodide comes into play. It fills up your thyroid with enough iodine to keep it busy for a while. So, instead of absorbing the radioactive iodine, your thyroid ignores it, and the radioactive iodine passes out of your body in your pee.

Treatment Details:

How should I use potassium iodide?

Depending on your diagnosis, your healthcare provider may prescribe potassium iodide in tablet or liquid form. Your provider or local public health officials will tell you:

* How to take potassium iodide.
* When to take it.
* The appropriate dosage.

The dosage can vary widely according to the condition you’re treating. In the context of radiation emergencies, the recommended dosage varies according to a person’s age.

How long should I take potassium iodide?

It depends on the reason you’re taking it. Follow your healthcare provider’s guidance. In radiation emergencies, one dose typically protects you for about 24 hours. So, most people should take one dose per day until local officials say it’s safe to stop taking it.

Pregnant women and newborns should only take one dose (no repeat doses) unless told otherwise. That’s because potassium iodide may impact thyroid function in fetuses and newborns.

Risks / Benefits:

What are the potential benefits of potassium iodide?

When used during a radiation emergency, potassium iodide can lower a person’s risk of developing thyroid cancer down the road. This is especially important in children and adults under age 40, who face a greater risk of thyroid cancer from radioactive iodine exposure.

What are the side effects of potassium iodide?

Possible side effects of potassium iodide include:

* Skin rash.
* Swollen salivary glands.
* Metallic taste in your mouth.
* Burning of your mouth and throat.
* Sore teeth and gums.
* Upset stomach, nausea and diarrhea.
* Headache.
* Head cold symptoms, like a runny nose.

Newborns who are given more than a single dose of potassium iodide run the risk of developing hypothyroidism.

Can potassium iodide cause an allergic reaction?

Potassium iodide causes an allergic reaction in some people. Signs of an allergic reaction include:

* Fever.
* Joint pain.
* Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, throat, hands or feet.
* Wheezing and/or shortness of breath.
* Difficulty speaking or swallowing.

Call a healthcare provider right away if you develop signs of an allergic reaction. Call your local emergency number if you have trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing.

Taking more potassium iodide than healthcare providers or local officials recommend can make you very sick or even be fatal. That’s why it’s crucial to follow expert advice closely when taking potassium iodide or giving it to a child.

Is taking potassium iodide safe for me?

Potassium iodide isn’t safe for everyone. It’s important to check with your healthcare provider before taking potassium iodine to make sure it’s OK for you. In general, potassium iodine may not be safe to take if you:

* Have thyroid nodules as well as heart disease.
* Are taking certain medications, including those that affect how your thyroid works.
* Are sensitive or allergic to iodine.
* Have chronic kidney (renal) failure.
* Have tuberculosis or acute bronchitis.
* Have a history of adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease).
* Have a weakened immune system.
* Are pregnant or breastfeeding. In some situations, like radiation emergencies, the benefits of taking potassium iodide while pregnant or nursing may outweigh the risks. Follow your provider’s guidance closely.

Be sure to talk to your provider before starting potassium iodide or any other medicine. They’ll review your medical history and decide if it’s safe for you. They can tell you the benefits and risks of potassium iodide in your unique situation. They’ll also tell you if you need follow-ups or monitoring.

Recovery and Outlook:

Is there anything I can do to make this treatment easier on me?

Your provider may recommend taking potassium iodide along with milk or juice to limit stomach upset. Talk to your provider if you’re concerned about side effects or have a history of any medication allergies.

Additional Information

* In a radiation emergency, some people may be told to take potassium iodide (KI) to protect their thyroid.
* Do not take KI unless instructed by public health or emergency response officials or a healthcare provider.
* KI is recommended only for people under 40 and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
* KI can have harmful effects when used incorrectly. Only use KI products that are approved by the U.S. FDA.

Potassium iodide (KI) is a type of iodine that is not radioactive. It can be used to help block one type of radioactive material, radioactive iodine, from being absorbed by the thyroid.

In some radiation emergencies, radioactive iodine may be released into the environment and enter the body through breathing or eating. This is known as internal contamination.

The thyroid is a gland in the neck that plays an important role in many body functions. When the thyroid absorbs high levels of radioactive iodine, it can increase the risk of thyroid cancer many years after exposure in infants, children, and young adults.

How KI protects the thyroid

KI is the stable (non-radioactive) form of iodine. They are both absorbed by the thyroid.

The thyroid cannot distinguish between stable or radioactive iodine. To protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine, a person must take KI before or shortly after being exposed to radioactive iodine to saturate the thyroid and prevent the radioactive iodine from concentrating in the thyroid.

When a person takes the right amount of KI at the right time, it can help block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. This happens because the thyroid has already absorbed the KI, and there is no room to absorb the radioactive iodine. Think of filling a jar with blue marbles (KI). If you then pour green marbles (radioactive iodine) over the jar, there will not be room and they will just spill out.

Use KI only if instructed

Do not take KI unless you are instructed by public health or emergency response officials or a healthcare provider. KI can cause harmful health effects. KI is helpful only in specific situations for certain groups of people.

KI should be used only as directed.

* Do not use table salt or foods that contain iodine as a substitute for KI. They do not help prevent internal contamination, and eating large amounts could be harmful.
* Only use KI products that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dietary supplements that contain iodine may not work to protect the thyroid and can hurt you.

Important

KI can have harmful health effects and can cause allergic reactions. Only take KI if instructed by public health or emergency response officials or a healthcare provider.

Limits of KI use

KI is most effective if taken shortly before or right after internal contamination with radioactive iodine. The effectiveness of KI also depends on how much radioactive iodine gets into the body and how quickly it is absorbed in the body.

KI is only recommended for people under 40 and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. People with certain medical conditions, including known iodine sensitivity, should not take KI or should talk to a healthcare provider about whether they can safely take KI.

KI only offers limited protection in specific situations:

* KI protects only against radioactive iodine and does not protect against other types of radioactive materials.
* KI protects only the thyroid. KI does not protect other parts of the body.
* KI must be taken within 24 hours before or 4 hours after exposure to be most effective.
* KI is not a treatment and cannot reverse damage already done to the thyroid.
* KI may not give a person 100% thyroid protection from radioactive iodine.

Most radiation emergencies will involve other types of radioactive materials and not radioactive iodine alone. Radioactive iodine is most common in nuclear power plant incidents.

How to take KI

KI is recommended as a medical countermeasure to protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine in people under 40 and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because younger people's cells are still growing and increasing in number more quickly. This puts them at risk for developing thyroid cancer after breathing in radioactive iodine.

Adults over 40 years old have a much lower risk of developing thyroid cancer. They are also more likely to have health conditions, like problems with their thyroids, that increase the risk for harmful health effects from KI. However, officials or healthcare providers may instruct adults over 40 to consume KI if the predicted exposure is high enough to cause hypothyroidism (when the thyroid does not make enough hormones).

Breastfeeding women should consider temporarily stopping breastfeeding until evacuated from the impacted area, if possible, and safely feed your baby other ways. Radioactive iodine can be passed to infants through breast milk.

There are two U.S. FDA-approved forms of KI:

* Tablets in two strengths, 130 milligram (mg) and 65 mg. The tablets may be cut into smaller pieces for lower doses.
* Oral liquid solution available in one concentration, each milliliter (mL) containing 65 mg of KI. The solution comes in a 1 oz (30 mL) bottle with a dropper marked for 1, 0.5, and 0.25 mL dosing. For reference, 5 mL of liquid is one teaspoon. One mL would be about the size of a large drop of water.

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