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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Potassium chloride vs Sodium chloride

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated May 2026

Potassium chloride was dispensed 4.6× as often as Sodium chloride in May 2026 — 12,343 items versus 2,708 in England.

12,343items

Potassium chloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

2,708items

Sodium chloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Potassium chloride versus Sodium chloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Potassium chloride   ·   ╌ Sodium chloride

0 10k 20k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Sodium chloride 12,343 Jan 2021: 8k Feb 2021: 8k Mar 2021: 9k Apr 2021: 9k May 2021: 9k Jun 2021: 12k Jul 2021: 15k Aug 2021: 12k Sep 2021: 11k Oct 2021: 9k Nov 2021: 9k Dec 2021: 9k Jan 2022: 8k Feb 2022: 8k Mar 2022: 9k Apr 2022: 9k May 2022: 11k Jun 2022: 12k Jul 2022: 16k Aug 2022: 18k Sep 2022: 13k Oct 2022: 10k Nov 2022: 10k Dec 2022: 8k Jan 2023: 9k Feb 2023: 8k Mar 2023: 9k Apr 2023: 8k May 2023: 10k Jun 2023: 14k Jul 2023: 13k Aug 2023: 14k Sep 2023: 14k Oct 2023: 11k Nov 2023: 9k Dec 2023: 8k Jan 2024: 8k Feb 2024: 9k Mar 2024: 10k Apr 2024: 10k May 2024: 11k Jun 2024: 11k Jul 2024: 15k Aug 2024: 16k Sep 2024: 12k Oct 2024: 11k Nov 2024: 9k Dec 2024: 9k Jan 2025: 9k Feb 2025: 8k Mar 2025: 9k Apr 2025: 10k May 2025: 12k Jun 2025: 15k Jul 2025: 20k Aug 2025: 17k Sep 2025: 14k Oct 2025: 12k Nov 2025: 10k Dec 2025: 10k Jan 2026: 9k Feb 2026: 9k Mar 2026: 10k Apr 2026: 11k May 2026: 12k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Potassium chloride versus Sodium chloride, May 2026
Measure Potassium chloride Sodium chloride
Items, May 2026 12,343 2,708
Items, last 12 months 148,710 34,374
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £303,227 £55,913

See the full profile for Potassium chloride or Sodium chloride.