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Kayexalate was a trade name for sodium polystyrene sulfonate, a cation-exchange resin used to treat hyperkalemia. FDA records list the Kayexalate product as discontinued. Generic sodium polystyrene sulfonate powder for suspension remains marketed in the United States.
read more about what was kayexalate ...Sodium polystyrene sulfonate exchanges sodium ions for potassium ions in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the colon. The bound potassium is then eliminated in the stool, which lowers body potassium stores over time.
Current generic sodium polystyrene sulfonate is indicated for treatment of hyperkalemia. It is not used as emergency treatment for life-threatening hyperkalemia due to its delayed onset. Obstructive bowel disease and use in neonates with reduced gut motility are contraindications.
The average adult oral dose is 15 g one to four times daily for a total of 15 g to 60 g per day. Rectal treatment uses 30 g to 50 g every six hours. Oral doses are separated from other medicines by at least three hours, or six hours in patients with gastroparesis.
Serious gastrointestinal reactions include intestinal necrosis, ischemic colitis, ulceration, and perforation. Other concerns include severe hypokalemia, low calcium or magnesium, sodium-related fluid overload, fecal impaction, and aspiration of resin particles. Serum potassium and other electrolytes are monitored during treatment.
Kayexalate contained sodium polystyrene sulfonate, a potassium-binding cation-exchange resin.
No. FDA records list the Kayexalate product as discontinued.
Yes. Generic sodium polystyrene sulfonate powder for suspension remains marketed in the United States.
No. Current labeling states that it is not used as emergency treatment for life-threatening hyperkalemia due to delayed onset.
Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations 46th Edition (Orange Book). https://www.fda.gov/media/71474/download?attachment=. Date Accessed October 7, 2026.
Gastrointestinal Adverse Events with Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate (Kayexalate) Use: A Systematic Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23321430/. Date Accessed October 7, 2026.
KAYEXALATE (Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate) Prescribing Information. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/011287s026lbl.pdf. Date Accessed October 7, 2026.
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32644632/. Date Accessed October 7, 2026.
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate: MedlinePlus Drug Information. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682108.html. Date Accessed October 7, 2026.