Calcium Acetate : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More

Calcium acetate is used to control high levels of phosphorus in the blood in people with kidney disease who are on dialysis (medical treatment to clean the blood when the kidneys are not working properly). Calcium acetate is in a class of medications called phosphate binders. It binds to phosphorus that you get from foods in your diet and prevents it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Calcium acetate comes as capsules, tablets, and a solution (liquid) to take by mouth. It is usually taken with each meal (for example, 3 times a day if you eat 3 meals a day) as directed by your doctor. Take calcium acetate at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any parts you do not understand. Take calcium acetate exactly as directed. Do not take more or less, or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

If you are using the solution, do not use a homemade spoon to measure your dose. Use the measuring cup that comes with the medicine to measure your dose. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about how much medicine to take or how to use the measuring cup.

Your doctor will probably adjust your dose based on your blood phosphorus levels, no more than once every 2 to 3 weeks.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.

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

Before taking calcium acetate,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to calcium acetate, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in calcium acetate preparations. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: Digoxin (Lanoxin). Take a fluoroquinolone antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifloxacin (Factive), levofloxacin, or moxifloxacin (Avelox) at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after taking calcium acetate. Also, take levothyroxine (Euthyrox, Synthroid, Tirosint) at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after taking calcium acetate. Take a tetracycline antibiotic such as demeclocycline, doxycycline (Monodox, Oracea, Vibramcyin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn), or tetracycline (Achromycin V, in Pylera) at least 1 hour before taking calcium acetate. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you closely for side effects. Many other medications can also interact with calcium acetate, so be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
• Tell your doctor if you are taking calcium supplements or calcium antacids (Tums). Do not take supplements or antacids that contain calcium while you are taking calcium acetate.
• Tell your doctor if you have high levels of calcium in your blood. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take calcium acetate.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any other medical conditions.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking calcium acetate, call your doctor.

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule with your next meal. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Calcium acetate may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• loss of appetite
• itching

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• confusion, feeling disoriented, feeling faint, or loss of consciousness

Calcium acetate can cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medicine.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor can submit a report online to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medicine in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children. Store at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

It is important to keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children, since many containers (such as those containing weekly pills and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not resistant to children and small children can easily open them. To protect young children from poisoning, always close the safety caps and immediately place the medicine in a safe place, one that is upright and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Unnecessary medications must be disposed of in special ways to ensure they cannot be consumed by pets, children, and others. However, you should not flush this medicine down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medications is through a drug take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage / recycling department to find out about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA Safe Drug Disposal website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim collapsed, had a seizure, is having trouble breathing, or is unable to wake up, immediately call 911 for emergency services.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

• confusion
• feeling disoriented
• feeling faint
• loss of consciousness

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body’s response to calcium acetate.

Do not let anyone else take your medicine. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important that you keep a written list of all prescription and over-the-counter (over-the-counter) medications you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should take this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you go into hospital. It is also important information to take with you in case of emergencies.