Edetate Calcium Disodium (2 brand names, 2 dosage forms, 2 routes)
Available dosage forms: INJECTABLE, TABLET.
Routes of administration: INJECTION, ORAL.
Brand Names
- CALCIUM DISODIUM VERSENATE
- EDETATE CALCIUM DISODIUM
Related Health Topics
Boxed Warning
Edetate calcium disodium injection is capable of producing toxic effects which can be fatal. Lead encephalopathy is relatively rare in adults, but occurs more often in pediatric patients in whom it may be incipient and thus overlooked. The mortality rate in pediatric patients has been high. Patients with lead encephalopathy and cerebral edema may experience a lethal increase in intracranial pressure following intravenous infusion; the intramuscular route is preferred for these patients. In cases where the intravenous route is necessary, avoid rapid infusion. The dosage schedule should be followed and at no time should the recommended daily dose be exceeded.
Indications and Usage
Edetate calcium disodium is indicated for the reduction of blood levels and depot stores of lead in lead poisoning (acute and chronic) and lead encephalopathy, in both pediatric populations and adults. Chelation therapy should not replace effective measures to eliminate or reduce further exposure to lead.
Dosage and Administration
When a source for the lead intoxication has been identified, the patient should be removed from the source, if possible. The recommended dose of edetate calcium disodium for asymptomatic adults and pediatric patients whose blood lead level is < 70 mcg/dL but > 20 mcg/dL (World Health Organization recommended upper allowable level) is 1,000 mg/m2/day whether given via intravenous infusion or intramuscularly (see Surface Area Nomogram). For adults with lead nephropathy, the following dosing regimen has been suggested: 500 mg/m 2 every 24 hours for 5 days for patients with serum creatinine levels of 2 to 3 mg/dL, every 48 hours for 3 doses for patients with creatinine levels of 3 to 4 mg/dL, and once weekly for patients with creatinine levels above 4 mg/dL. These regimens may be repeated at one month intervals. 12 Edetate calcium disodium, used alone, may aggravate symptoms in patients with very high blood lead levels. When the blood lead level is > 70 mcg/dL or clinical symptoms consistent with lead poisoning are present, it is recommended that edetate calcium disodium be used in conjunction with BAL (dimercaprol). Please consult published protocols and specialized references for dosage recommendations of combination therapy.14-18 Therapy of lead poisoning in adults and pediatric patients with edetate calcium disodium is continued over a period of five days. Therapy is then interrupted for 2 to 4 days to allow redistribution of the lead and to prevent severe depletion of zinc and other essential metals. Two courses of treatment are usually employed; however, it depends on the severity of the lead toxicity and the patient’s tolerance of the drug. Edetate calcium disodium is equally effective whether administered intravenously or intramuscularly. The intramuscular route is used for all patients with overt lead encephalopathy and this route is preferred by some for young pediatric patients. Acutely ill individuals may be dehydrated from vomiting. Since edetate calcium di
Contraindications
Edetate calcium disodium should not be given during periods of anuria, nor to patients with active renal disease or hepatitis.
Adverse Reactions
The following adverse effects have been associated with the use of edetate calcium disodium: Body as a Whole: pain at intramuscular injection site, fever, chills, malaise, fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia. Cardiovascular: hypotension, cardiac rhythm irregularities. Renal: acute necrosis of proximal tubules (which may result in fatal nephrosis), infrequent changes in distal tubules and glomeruli. Urinary: glycosuria, proteinuria, microscopic hematuria and large epithelial cells in urinary sediment. Nervous System: tremors, headache, numbness, tingling. Gastrointestinal: cheilosis, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, excessive thirst. Hepatic: mild increases in SGOT and SGPT are common, and return to normal within 48 hours after cessation of therapy. Immunogenic: histamine-like reactions (sneezing, nasal congestion, lacrimation), rash. Hematopoietic: transient bone marrow depression, anemia. Metabolic: zinc deficiency, hypercalcemia. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Rising Pharma Holdings, Inc. at 1-844-874-7464 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch .
Drug Interactions
There is no known drug interference with standard clinical laboratory tests. Steroids enhance the renal toxicity of edetate calcium disodium in animals.7 Edetate calcium disodium interferes with the action of zinc insulin preparations by chelating the zinc.7
Overdosage
Symptoms Inadvertent administration of 5 times the recommended dose, infused intravenously over a 24 hour period, to an asymptomatic 16 month old patient with a blood lead content of 56 mcg/dL did not cause any ill effects. Edetate calcium disodium can aggravate the symptoms of severe lead poisoning, therefore, most toxic effects (cerebral edema, renal tubular necrosis) appear to be associated with lead poisoning. Because of cerebral edema, a therapeutic dose may be lethal to an adult or a pediatric patient with lead encephalopathy. Higher dosage of edetate calcium disodium may produce a more severe zinc deficiency. Treatment Cerebral edema should be treated with repeated doses of mannitol. Steroids enhance the renal toxicity of edetate calcium disodium in animals and, therefore, are no longer recommended.7 Zinc levels must be monitored. Good urinary output must be maintained because diuresis will enhance drug elimination. It is not known if edetate calcium disodium is dialyzable.