Potassium deficiency can contribute to hypertension because low potassium intake and chronically low‑normal serum levels make blood vessels less able to relax and enhance the blood‑pressure‑raising effects of dietary sodium. Epidemiologic studies and feeding trials show that people with lower urinary potassium excretion tend to have higher blood pressure, and that short periods on a low‑potassium diet can raise systolic and diastolic pressure compared with a higher‑potassium diet of similar calories and sodium. In contrast, restoring potassium—whether through diet or supplements in appropriate patients—has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the need for antihypertensive medication, and is associated with a lower risk of stroke, highlighting that potassium deficiency is a modifiable driver of high blood pressure rather than just a lab abnormality. This medication is commonly used for Hypertension.
Jun HJ, Kim S, Jo G. Age-period-cohort analysis of dietary sodium, potassium, and sodium-to-potassium ratio in Korea. Epidemiol Health. 2025;47:e2025062. Ziaei R, Askari G, Foshati S, Zolfaghari H, Clark CCT, Rouhani MH. Association between urinary potassium excretion and blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. J Res Med Sci. 2020 Dec 30;25:116. Granal M, Sourd V, Burnier M, Fauvel JP, Gougeon A. Effect of changes in potassium intake on blood pressure: a dose-response meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (2000-2024). Clin Kidney J. 2025 Jun 28;18(7):sfaf173. Duan, Li Qin, et al. Study on the Correlation between Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Blood Pressure in Adult Hypertensive Inpatients of Different Sexes, International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2022, 1854475, 8 pages, 2022.
Some side effects may be linked to nutrient depletion caused by this medication.
An increased excretion of potassium can occur in people taking calcium channel blocker drugs like felodipine. Supplementation may need to be considered if blood levels of potassium are low.
Studies suggest that Felodipine, a type of calcium channel blocker (CCB), may increase the excretion of calcium in the urine. While the long-term effects on bone health are unclear, some healthcare professionals suggest calcium supplementation for patients taking felodipine, especially those at higher risk of osteoporosis.
Research suggests that Felodipine, a type of calcium channel blocker (CCB), may increase the excretion of magnesium in the urine. This can potentially lead to magnesium deficiency. Studies have shown an increase in fractional excretion of magnesium following felodipine treatment, and the drug may also alter how magnesium moves across red blood cell membranes. Therefore supplementation with magnesium should be considered when on this therapy.