Lanthanum Carbonate

Lanthanum carbonate is a prescription medication used in people with end stage renal disease (ESRD) to lower the amount of phosphate in the blood. Lanthanum carbonate works be preventing the body from absorbing phosphate and allowing it to be removed from the body.

This medication comes in a chewable tablet form. It is usually taken with or immediately after meals. Chew or crush tablets completely before swallowing.

Common side effects of lanthanum carbonate include nausea, vomitng, and diarrhea.

Lanthanum carbonate is a prescription medicine used in people with end stage renal disease (ESRD) to lower the amount of phosphate in the blood.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• antacids. If you take an antacid medicine, take the antacid 2 hours before or 2 hours after you take lanthanum carbonate.
• antibiotics. If you take an antibiotic medicine, take the antibiotic 1 hour before or 4 hours after you take lanthanum carbonate.
• thyroid medicine. If you take medicine for your thyroid (levothyroxine), take the thyroid medicine 2 hours before or 2 hours after you take lanthanum carbonate.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Before starting lanthanum carbonate, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• have a history of bowel surgery or colon cancer
• have a history of bowel blockage, ileus or constipation, or diabetes
• have stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn's disease
• plan to have an x-ray of your stomach (abdomen)
• have any other medical conditions
• are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or plan to breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

You should not use lanthanum carbonate if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• a bowel obstruction or severe constipation.

To make sure lanthanum carbonate is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• a stomach ulcer;

• any type of bowel obstruction;

• slow digestion or severe constipation;

• a history of surgery on your stomach or intestines;

• ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis;

• a history of stomach or intestinal cancer;

• diabetes; or

• problems with your teeth.

If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan of your stomach area, tell the doctor ahead of time that you are using lanthanum carbonate.

It is not known whether lanthanum carbonate will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.

It is not known whether lanthanum carbonate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• severe constipation; or

• severe stomach cramps.

Common side effects may include:

• upset stomach, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting;

• constipation;

• itching, rash; or

• tooth injury while chewing a lanthanum carbonate tablet.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Dissociates in the acidic environment of the upper GI tract to release trivalent lanthanum ions, which bind dietary phosphate released during digestion, thereby forming highly insoluble lanthanum phosphate complexes that are excreted fecally.1 2 5

• Lanthanum ions have a high affinity for phosphate; the drug binds about 97% of available phosphates in vitro at pH 3–5 (corresponding to that of gastric fluid) when in twofold molar excess to phosphates.1 2

• Reduces phosphate absorption, serum phosphorus concentrations, and serum calcium times phosphorus product (Ca × P).1 2 3

Excipients in commercially available drug preparations may have clinically important effects in some individuals; consult specific product labeling for details.

Please refer to the ASHP Drug Shortages Resource Center for information on shortages of one or more of these preparations.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Bone pain
• convulsions
• difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
• itching skin or rash
• loss of appetite
• trouble breathing
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

• Headache
• nausea
• vomiting

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Abdominal or stomach pain

• Belching
• heartburn
• indigestion
• stomach discomfort or upset
• tooth injury

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.