trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole

Drug combination linked to hyperkalaemia risk

CO-ADMINISTRATION of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) with co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) is associated with an increased risk of hyperkalaemia. A Canadian case-control study of 439,677 patients aged 66 years or older,  revealed the drug combination conferred a seven-fold risk of being hospitalised for hyperkalaemia compared with use of an ACEI or ARB with other antibiotics. Over 14 years, 4148 patients developed hyperkalaemia with 371 cases occurring within two weeks of antibiotic exposure. The authors suggested co-trimoxazole could trigger hyperkalaemia in patients receiving this drug combination by impairing sodium reabsorption and ...