[7][4] Common side effects include constipation, low blood magnesium, and abdominal pain.

[10] Typical reasons for hyperkalemia are chronic kidney disease and application of drugs that inhibit the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) – e.g.

ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, or potassium-sparing diuretics – or that interfere with kidney function in general, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Side effects that occurred in more than 2% of patients included in clinical trials were mainly gastro-intestinal problems such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and flatulence, and also hypomagnesemia (low levels of magnesium in the blood) in 5% of patients, because patiromer binds magnesium in the gut as well.

[4] Patiromer works by binding free potassium ions in the gastrointestinal tract and releasing calcium ions for exchange, thus lowering the amount of potassium available for absorption into the bloodstream and increasing the amount that is excreted via the feces.

[4] In a Phase III multicenter clinical trial including 237 patients with hyperkalemia under RAAS inhibitor treatment, 76% of participants reached normal serum potassium levels within four weeks.