Calcitonin Injection

Calcitonin injection is used to treat Paget's disease of the bone. It may also be used to prevent bone loss in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and to treat hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood).

calcitonin is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Usual Adult Dose for Paget's Disease:

50 to 100 intl units given subcutaneously or intramuscularly once a day. The dosage may be reduced to 50 to 100 intl units subcutaneously or intramuscularly three times a week when improvement (clinical or biochemical) occurs. Calcitonin is usually not given for more than 6 months unless there are neurological symptoms or extensive lytic lesions in the weight-bearing bones. Biochemical remissions of the illness generally last for under six months. If retreatment is necessary, the same initial and maintenance dosage schedules generally are repeated. Human calcitonin is an orphan drug that may be used in patients that develop resistance or an allergic reaction to calcitionin-salmon.

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200 to 400 intl units by intranasal administration once a day may also be used with a slight loss in efficacy (400 intl units nasal dose compared to 100 intl units intramuscular dose) but a decrease in systemic side effects. Studies have demonstrated that intranasal preparations reduced bone turnover by 30% to 40%, compared to the 50% seen with subcutaneous or intramuscular preparations.

Usual Adult Dose for Hypercalcemia:

4 intl units/kg (rounded to the next higher 5 intl units) subcutaneously or intramuscularly every 12 hours. The maximum dosage should not exceed 545 intl units per dose. If a response to the 4 intl units/kg dose is not observed in 1 to 2 days, 8 intl units/kg (rounded to the next higher 5 intl units) may be given subcutaneously or intramuscularly every 12 hours. The dosing frequency may be increased to every 6 hours, if needed. The maximum dosage should not exceed 1090 intl units per dose. Therapy is generally 5 days or fewer. A 2 mg/dl reduction in plasma calcium level is usually noted and maintained for 2 to 4 days. Thereafter, the effect diminishes.

Usual Adult Dose for Osteoporosis:

100 intl units given every other day or 50 intl units given once a day either subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Injectable doses may be increased to 200 or 400 intl units once per day, as required.

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200 intl units may be given intranasally once a day, alternating nostrils daily.

Therapy is generally long-term, lasting months or years.

Usual Adult Dose for Osteogenesis Imperfecta Tarda:

50 intl units given subcutaneously three times a week. Dosages may be increased to 100 intl units depending on tolerance of side effects and efficacy of the 50 intl units dose therapy.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Osteogenesis Imperfecta Tarda:

Not a FDA approved indication:
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Children over 6 months of age: 2 international units/kg IM or SQ 3 times/week.

• It is used to treat Paget's disease.
• It is used to treat high calcium levels.
• It is used to treat soft, brittle bones (osteoporosis) in women after change of life.
• It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.

• If you have an allergy to calcitonin or any other part of calcitonin injection.
• If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs.
• If you have low calcium levels.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this medicine.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take calcitonin injection with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

For all uses of this medicine:

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take calcitonin injection. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Very bad and sometimes deadly allergic side effects have rarely happened. Talk with your doctor.
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor.
• Have your urine checked as you have been told by your doctor.
• This medicine may add to the chance of getting some types of cancer. Talk with the doctor.
• If you are taking lithium, talk with your doctor. You may need to have your blood work checked more closely while you are taking it with this medicine.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using calcitonin injection while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

For Paget's disease or osteoporosis:

• Take calcium and vitamin D as you were told by your doctor.

Use this medicine as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• It is given as a shot into the fatty part of the skin or a muscle.
• If you will be giving yourself the shot, your doctor or nurse will teach you how to give the shot.
• Follow how to use as you have been told by the doctor or read the package insert.
• Wash your hands before and after use.
• Do not use if the solution is cloudy, leaking, or has particles.
• Do not use if solution changes color.
• Throw away needles in a needle/sharp disposal box. Do not reuse needles or other items. When the box is full, follow all local rules for getting rid of it. Talk with a doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Use a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not use 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.