CALCITRIOL

Course overview

CALCITRIOL IS A HORMONALLY-ACTIVE, SYNTHETIC VITAMIN D ANALOG PRESCRIBED TO TREAT HYPOCALCEMIA, OSTEOPOROSIS, AND THE PREVENTION OF CORTICOSTEROID-INDUCED OSTEOPOROSIS. SYSTEMIC CALCITRIOL IS FDA INDICATED TO CONTROL HYPOCALCEMIA IN PATIENTS ON CHRONIC RENAL DIALYSIS, SECONDARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM IN THOSE WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE NOT YET ON DIALYSIS, AND HYPOCALCEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH HYPOPARATHYROIDISM AND PSEUDOHYPOPARATHYROIDISM. THERE ARE ALSO OTHER APPROVED INDICATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILE, TOXICITY, DOSING, PHARMACODYNAMICS, AND MONITORING OF CALCITONIN, PERTINENT FOR CLINICIANS AND ALL INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS TO ENSURE PROPER UTILIZATION OF CALCITRIOL THERAPY.