chemistry

Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate

Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate is a chemistry topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate rather than just read about it. In short: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, often abbreviated to SZC and sold under the brand name Lokelma, is a medication used to treat high blood potassium. Onset of effects occurs in one to six hours.

Key takeaways

Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate belongs to chemistry; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, often abbreviated to SZC and sold under the brand name Lokelma, is a medication used to treat high blood potassium. Onset of effects occurs in one to six hours. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include swelling and low blood potassium. Use is likely safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding. It works by binding potassium ions in the gastrointestinal tract which is then lost in the stool. Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate was approved for medical use in the European Union and in the United States in 2018. It was developed by AstraZeneca.

Medical use Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate is used to treat high blood potassium. Onset of effects occurs in one to six hours.

Mechanism of action

ZS-9 is a zirconium silicate. Zirconium silicates have been extensively used in medical applications because of their proven safety. 11 zirconium silicates were screened by an iterative optimization process. ZS-9 selectively captures potassium ions, presumably by mimicking the actions of physiologic potassium channels. ZS-9 is an inorganic cation exchanger crystalline with a high capacity to entrap monovalent cations, specifically potassium and ammonium ions, in the GI tract. ZS-9 is one of the least potent pharmaceuticals; the typical dose is 10g.

Background

Hyperkalemia is rare among those who are otherwise healthy. Among those who are in hospital, rates are between 1% and 2.5%. Common causes include kidney failure, hypoaldosteronism, and rhabdomyolysis. A number of medications can also cause high blood potassium including spironolactone, NSAIDs, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. There is no universally accepted definition of what level of hyperkalemia is mild, moderate, or severe. However, if hyperkalemia causes any ECG change it is considered a medical emergency due to a risk of potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms and is treated urgently. Potassium levels greater than 6.5 to 7.0 mmol/L in the absence of ECG changes are managed aggressively. Several approaches are used to treat hyperkalemia. Other approved potassium binders in the United States include patiromer and sodium polystyrene sulfonate. Hyperkalemia, particularly if severe, is a marker for an increased risk of death. However, there is disagreement regarding whether a modestly elevated levels directly causes problems. One viewpoint is that mild to moderate hyperkalemia is a secondary effect that denotes underlying medical problems. Accordingly, these problems are both proximate and ultimate causes of death,

History In the United States, regulatory approval of ZS-9 was rejected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2016, due to issues associated with manufacturing. On 18 May 2018, the FDA approved sodium zirconium cyclosilicate for treatment of adults with hyperkalemia. It was first practically synthesized by UOP in the late 1990s. The recognition of the unique ion exchange properties and the potential use to remove toxins from the body were identified shortly thereafter .

Research One review found a decrease in potassium of 0.17 mEq/L at one hour and 0.67 mEq/L at 48 hours. It appears effective in people with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and heart failure. Use has been studied for up to a year.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In chemistry, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate

In research: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate appears in chemistry research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Chelating agents used as drugs, Drugs developed by AstraZeneca, Metal-containing drugs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate in simple terms?

Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, often abbreviated to SZC and sold under the brand name Lokelma, is a medication used to treat high blood potassium. Onset of effects occurs in one to six hours.

Why does Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate matter?

Because it connects several chemistry ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate.