Potassium Citrate
Treatment for Kidney Stones
Typical Dosage: 10-20 mEq 2-3 times daily (adjust to urine pH)
Effectiveness
85%
Safety Score
75%
Clinical Trials
23
Participants
8K
Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)
Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
75
DangerousModerateSafe
Treatment Details
Dosage Range
10-20 mEq 2-3 times daily (adjust to urine pH)
Time to Effect
Weeks to months for dissolution/prevention
Treatment Duration
Long-term/Lifetime
Evidence Quality
HIGHNumber Needed to Treat (NNT)
4(Treat 4 patients to see 1 additional successful outcome)
Number Needed to Harm (NNH)
25(Treat 25 patients to see 1 additional serious adverse event)
Confidence Score
85%confidence in effectiveness data
Health Economics
Annual Cost of Care
Drug Cost:$300
Monitoring:$200
Side Effect Mgmt:$50
Total Annual:$550
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Cost-Effectiveness Rating
EXCELLENTICER
$30,000/QALY
QALYs Gained
1
Outcome-Based Costs
Cost per Responder
$647
Cost per Remission
$786
Potassium Citrate Outcomes
for Kidney Stones
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+85%
Response Rate
+85%
Remission Rate
+70%
Common Side Effects
GI upset (nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain)
+15%
Hyperkalemia
+1%
Active Clinical Trials
7 active trials recruiting for Potassium Citrate in Kidney Stones
Potassium Citrate and Crystal Light Lemonade
NCT05389995ACTIVE NOT RECRUITINGNA
10 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Chicago, United States
Started: Aug 1, 2022
Role of Medication in Making Urine Less Acidic as Part of Kidney Stone Prevention
NCT06819111NOT YET RECRUITINGPHASE1
20 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Started: Jul 1, 2026
Sodium Bicarbonate as an Alternative to Potassium Citrate for Kidney Stones
NCT07408076NOT YET RECRUITINGPHASE1, PHASE2
30 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Los Angeles, United States +5 more
Started: Feb 1, 2026
Comparing Alkalinizing Agents Efficacy on Stone Risk in Patients on a Metabolically Controlled Diet
NCT04651088NOT YET RECRUITINGEARLY_PHASE1
15 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Dallas, United States
Started: Jul 1, 2026
Oxalate and Citrate in Humans - Response to Citrate
NCT06944223RECRUITINGNA
24 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Chicago, United States
Started: Oct 1, 2025
Hydroxycitrate: A Novel Therapy for Calcium Phosphate Urinary Stones
NCT06003348RECRUITINGPHASE4
25 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Dallas, United States
Started: Dec 13, 2023
Exploratory Study on the Treatment of Gout With Potassium Citrate Sustained-release Tablets
NCT06966635RECRUITINGPHASE4
312 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Shanghai, China
Started: Apr 10, 2024
Completed Clinical Trials
7 completed trials for Potassium Citrate in Kidney Stones
Efficacy of Potassium Sodium Hydrogen Citrate Therapy on Renal Stone Recurrence and/or Residual Fragments After Shockwave Lithotripsy and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in Calcium Oxalate Urolithiasis
NCT01329042COMPLETEDPHASE4
80 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Started: May 1, 2005
A Dietary Source of Potassium Citrate to Resolve Hypocitraturia and Aciduria in Patients With Kidney Stones
NCT03984409COMPLETEDNA
22 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Indianapolis, United States +1 more
Started: Jun 1, 2019
Effect of Urine Alkalinazation on Urinary Inflammatory Markers in Patients With Cystinuria
NCT03836144COMPLETED
63 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
Paris, France
Started: Apr 2, 2015
Phase III Randomized, Double-Blind Study of Potassium Phosphate Vs Potassium Citrate for Absorptive Hypercalciuria
NCT00004284COMPLETEDPHASE3
300 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Started: Apr 1, 1995
Treatment for Calcium Phosphate Kidney Stone Disease
NCT01754779COMPLETEDPHASE2
13 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Dallas, United States
Started: Jul 1, 2012
Litholytic Therapy for Coral Urate Nephrolithiasis
NCT07162974COMPLETEDNA
49 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Moscow, Russia
Started: Jan 1, 2023
Effectiveness of Urinary Alkalinizing Agents on Kidney Stone Risk
NCT04095975COMPLETEDPHASE4
31 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Madison, United States
Started: Aug 28, 2019
Showing 20 of 24 total trials