Potassium-Modified Diet — NCLEX Cheat Sheet
K+ normal 3.5-5.0 mEq/L
👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team
🕐 Updated 2026-07-11
🏷️ Physiological Adaptation
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Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Potassium-Modified Diet on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
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- Banana, orange, potato, spinach
- Avocado, tomato, melon, dried fruit
- For: diuretics (loop/thiazide), vomiting
- Restrict in CKD, K+-sparing diuretics
- Avoid salt substitutes (= KCl)
- Limit banana, OJ, potato
- K+ >5.0 → peaked T waves
- K+ <3.5 → U wave, weakness
- Both extremes → dysrhythmia/arrest
- Never IV push KCl → fatal
- Dilute, infuse ≤10 mEq/hr
- Check renal function before giving
✨Quick Tip
High-potassium foods include bananas, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, avocado, and salt substitutes.
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