Calcium Acetate, Oral

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is taken by mouth to control levels of phosphate in the blood of people with severe kidney disease. Take it exactly as directed.
• Keep all appointments for tests to see how this medicine affects you.
• This medicine may cause high levels of calcium in your blood, and you may need emergency treatment. Do not take any other form of calcium while you are taking this medicine.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: phosphate binder (treats too much phosphorus in the blood)

Generic and brand names: calcium acetate, oral; Calphron; ELIPHOS; Phoslyra; PhosLo

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat hyperphosphatemia (too much phosphorus in the blood). It is used by people with severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) who are on dialysis.

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine
• Hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood)
• Irregular heartbeat

Before you take this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you are taking digoxin. Taking both medicines together may cause a serious irregular heartbeat.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

Check with your healthcare provider before using this medicine in children under age 18.

Be sure to take the medicine with food. It should be taken with each meal.

If you have the liquid form of this medicine, use the measuring spoon, cup, dropper, or oral syringe that comes with the medicine, or ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen spoon because the dose may not be correct.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose and you remember it within 1 hour of a meal, take the missed dose. Otherwise, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, confusion, coma.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine can increase the calcium in your blood. If you have high levels of calcium in your blood, you may need emergency treatment. Contact your healthcare right away if you have symptoms such as:

• Abnormal drowsiness
• Bone pain
• Coma
• Constipation
• Delirium (confusion, disordered speech, and hearing or seeing things that are not there)
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle twitches or muscle weakness
• Nausea and vomiting

Do not take any other form of calcium, such as calcium supplements or antacids that contain calcium, while taking this medicine. Follow the diet your healthcare provider recommends. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any questions.

You will need to have blood tests regularly to check calcium and phosphate levels in your blood. Your dosage may need to be adjusted based on the test results. Keep all appointments for these tests.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; chest pain or tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Nausea, vomiting, delirium, constipation, loss of appetite, confusion, abnormal drowsiness, muscle twitches or weakness, bone pain.

Other: Itching, gas, mild nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, weakness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Antacids that contain calcium, such as Gaviscon, Maalox, Mylanta, and TUMS
• Antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), demeclocycline, levofloxacin (Levaquin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn), and tetracycline (Take at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after this medicine.)
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)
• Diuretics (water pills) such as chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), indapamide, and metolazone
• Dolutegravir (Tivicay)
• Eltrombopag (Promacta)
• Osteoporosis medicines such as alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), and risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia)
• Supplements or multivitamins that contain calcium, iron, or vitamin D
• Thyroid medicines such as levothyroxine (Levo-T, Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Unithroid), liothyronine (Cytomel, Triostat), liotrix (Thyrolar), and thyroid USP (Armour Thyroid, Nature-Throid) (Take at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after you take this medicine.)

Take other medicines 1 hour before or 3 hours after doses of this medicine.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or drug interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.