Abstract

Patients with severe hypokalaemia are at increased risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias.¹ A fall in plasma potassium occurs with thiazide or loop diuretics and to reduce the probability of an arrhythmia they are often prescribed together with a potassium-sparing diuretic such as amiloride, triamterene or spironolactone. This article discusses whether the routine prescription of a fixed-dose combination preparation containing potassium-losing plus potassium-sparing diuretics is warranted.