Calcitonin

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Calcitonin (kal-si-TOE-nin) sold under the brand names Calcimar, Cibacalcin, Calsynar, Miacalcin, Osteocalcin and Salmonine is a medication prescribed for the treatment of Osteoporosis. This medication is alsoused to treat hypercalcaemia, Paget's disease and bone metastases It is only available by prescription; as of 2005, there are no generic drug equivalents. Not every form or band name is available in every country.

There are two two main forms of this drug: Calcitonin-Human (kal-si-TOE-nin HYOO-man) which is injectable and and Calcitonin-Salmon (kal-si-TOE-ninSAM-en) which comes inboth an injectable form and as a nasal spray. If you find that the Bisphosphonate medications: Actonel , Boniva , Fosamax irritate your digestive tract, this drug may be a real alternative.

Calcitonin was first purified in 1962 by DH Copp and B. Cheney who published a report of their work inNature. See: Copp DH, Cheney B. Calcitonin-a hormone from the parathyroid which lowers the calcium-level of the blood. Nature 1962;193:381-2.

Frequently asked questions about Calcitonin:

Exactly what is it?
"Calcitonin is a a 32 amino acid polypeptide hormone that is produced in humans primarily by the C cells of the thyroid". according to the Wikipeida Encyclopedia.
What does this drug do?
This particular hormone affects calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Itsmain effect is on bone.
As you know your bones are constantlybeing remodeled. Old bone is removed by your osteoclasts cellsand new bone is made by your osteoblasts cells. Calcitonin inhibits the activity of osteoclasts and itpromotes bone formation by osteoblasts. As a result Calcitonin, has the effect of increasing bone density. And it is prescribed for the treatment of Osteoporosis. It also decreases mineral release and matrix or collagen breakdown in bone.
What should I discuss with my health care provider before takingthis drug?
There are a number of things you should discuss with your health careprovider. It is important that you raise these things before themedication is prescribed.
- Allergies.Be sure to tell your health care providerif you have had any allergic reactions to other drugs,food, chemicals or other substances,
- Other medications or herbal supplements. Sometimes medicationsand herbal remedies can interact with each other. Be sure you mentionall the drugs (both prescription and over the counter) and herbs that you are currently taking to your health care provider. This is important since your health care provider might need to change your dosagedepending on what else you are taking.
- Practice. If you are taking the injectable form be sure thatyou do a practice session. If you aretaking the nasal spray form, you want to be sure that youare aiming the spray correctly. Most health care providers are more than happy to be sure that you have 'good patient education' for theuse of this medication.
- Diet, nutrition. You need to discuss your intake of calciumand Vitamin D with your health care provider if you are going to take this drug. This is important. For some conditions, you may be advised to takeextra supplements. For other conditions, you may be advised tofollow a low calcium diet. Be sure to discuss your calciumand Vitamin D intake with your health care provider before you start this medication.
How should I store this drug?
Keep this prescription out of the reach of children andstore it away from heat and direct light.
Calcitonin-human should not be refirgerated but it should be stored at a temperature below 77 °F. You should use your prepared solution within 6 hours.
Store calcitonin-salmon in the refrigerator. Do not put it in the freezer and keep it from freezing.
As with all medications, do not keep outdated drugs. If your prescriptionis outdated, contactyour health care provider for a new one.

Are there any side effect that I should be aware of?
If you experience skin rash or hives after taking this drug,contact your health care provider immediately.

Calcitonin does not often produce negative reactions. Sometimes the nasal spray may cause irritation. If this occurrs,do contact your health care provider.

Sometimes your body may take awhile to adjust to a newmedication. If any of the following occurr and continue for awhile, contact your health care provider to discuss it: Diarrhea; flushing or redness of face, ears, hands, or feet; loss of appetite; nausea or vomiting; pain, redness,increased urination frequencyor Chills; dizziness; headache; pressure in chest; stuffy nose; tenderness or tingling of hands or feet; trouble in breathing; weakness soreness, or swelling at place of injection or stomach pain. Many people have no negative reactions to this drug. Just because someone has had a negative reaction, that does not mean that you will.

If you have rash or hives, do contact your health care providerimmediately since this could be an allergic reaction. As forany other reaction, contact your health care provider if it doesnot go away after a short while.

If you wish to read research abstracts or articles about this medication, go to the National Library of Medicine and type Calcitonin in the search box.