Look inside the book: Nursing 2025-2026 Drug Handbook

212 calcium acetate

PREGNANCY-LACTATION-REPRODUCTION • Use during pregnancy only if potential ben efit justifies fetal risk. • Ingested calcitriol may appear in human milk. Patients shouldn’t breastfeed during therapy. • Use topical calcitriol cautiously in patients who are breastfeeding. If patient use of a top ical vitamin D analogue is needed, patient should ensure infant doesn’t come in contact with treated area. NURSING CONSIDERATIONS • Effective therapy requires adequate calcium intake. • Monitor calcium level (multiplied by phos phate level, shouldn’t exceed 70). After dosage adjustment, determine calcium level daily until level returns to normal. Once level falls within normal limits, monitor calcium level at least twice weekly. If hypercalcemia occurs, stop drug and notify prescriber but re sume after calcium level returns to normal. Patient should receive adequate daily intake of calcium. Observe for hypocalcemia, bone pain, and weakness before and during therapy. • Monitor phosphate level, especially in pa tient with hypoparathyroidism or on dialysis. • Reduce dose as parathyroid hormone level decreases in response to therapy. • Ensure patient taking calcitriol maintains adequate fluid status. • Watch for symptoms of vitamin D intox ication (headache, somnolence, weakness, irritability, HTN, arrhythmias, conjunctivitis, photophobia, rhinorrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation, polydipsia, pancreatitis, metallic taste, dry mouth, anorexia, nephrocalcinosis, polyuria, nocturia, weight loss, bone and mus cle pain, pruritus, hyperthermia, decreased libido). • Look alike–sound alike: Don’t confuse cal citriol with calcifediol or calcitonin. PATIENT TEACHING • Tell patient to report all adverse reactions and to immediately report early signs and symptoms of vitamin D intoxication. • Instruct patient to adhere to diet and cal cium supplementation and to avoid OTC drugs and antacids that contain magnesium. Alert: Warn patient that drug is the most potent form of vitamin D available and shouldn’t be taken by anyone except patient.

calcium acetate Calphron ,Phoslyra calcium chloride calcium citrate Cal-Citrate , Cal-C-Cap ,Citracal calcium gluconate calcium lactate Therapeutic class: Calcium supplements Pharmacologic class: Calcium salts AVAILABLE FORMS 1 mEq of elemental calcium equals 20 mg calcium acetate Contains 169 mg or 8.45 mEq of elemental calcium/g Capsules: 667mg Gelcaps: 667mg Solution: 667mg/5mL Tablets : 667 mg, 668 mg calcium chloride Contains 273 mg or 13.6 mEq of elemental calcium/g Injection: 10% solution in 10-mL ampules, vials, and syringes calcium citrate Contains 211 mg or 10.6 mEq of elemental calcium/g Capsules: 180mg , 225mg Powder for oral solution: 760 mg/3.5 g Tablets: 200mg , 250mg , 950mg calcium gluconate Contains 93 mg or 4.5 mEq of elemental calcium/g Capsules: 500mg Injection: 10 mg/mL, 20 mg/mL, 100 mg/mL Tablets: 50mg , 500mg calcium lactate Contains 130 mg or 6.5 mEq of elemental calcium/g Capsules: 100mg , 500mg Tablets: 100mg , 325mg , 648mg INDICATIONS & DOSAGES ➤ Hypocalcemia Adults: 7 to 14 mEq elemental calcium IV. May give as a 10% calcium chloride solution. Or, initially, 1 to 2 g calcium gluconate IV. Children: 0.136 to 0.252 mEq elemental calcium/kg IV. Or, initially, 29 to 200 mg/kg

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