Calcitonin Drug Study

In making a Drug Study, the following elements must be present: Generic Name and the Brand name (not all brands, just the brand used by the patient), Action, Indication, Pregnancy Category, Drug Classification, and Contraindication, Adverse Effect, Drug interaction and Nursing Consideration/Intervention…. Most clinical instructors preferred this to be in a long bond paper in printed or handwritten with paper in landscape.


Calcitonin

Brand Name: Cibacalcin, calcitonin, salmon, Calcimar, Caltine (CAN), Miacalcin, Miacalcin Nasal Spray, Osteocalcin, Salmonine

Pregnancy Category C (human), Pregnancy Category B (salmon)

Drug classes: Hormonal agent, Calcium regulator

Therapeutic actions
The calcitonins are polypeptide hormones secreted by the thyroid; human calcitonin is a synthetic product classified as an orphan drug; salmon calcitonin appears to be a chemically identical polypeptide but with greater potency per milligram and longer duration; inhibits bone resorption; lowers elevated serum calcium in children and patients with Paget's disease; increases the excretion of filtered phosphate, calcium, and sodium by the kidney.

Indications
• Paget's disease (human and salmon calcitonin)
• Postmenopausal osteoporosis in conjunction with adequate calcium and vitamin D intake to prevent loss of bone mass (salmon calcitonin)
• Hypercalcemia, emergency treatment (salmon calcitonin)

Contraindications
• Contraindicated with allergy to salmon calcitonin or fish products, lactation.
Adverse effects
Flushing of face or hands, rash, Nausea, vomiting, Urinary frequency (calcitonin-human), Local inflammatory reactions at injection site (salmon), nasal irritation (nasal spray)

Nursing considerations
• Give skin test to patients with any history of allergies; salmon calcitonin is a protein, and risk of allergy is significant. Observe after 15 min; the presence of a wheal or more than mild erythema indicates a positive response.
• Use reconstituted human calcitonin within 6 hr.
• Maintain parenteral calcium on standby in case of development of hypocalcemic tetany.
• Monitor serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline excretion prior to therapy and during first 3 mo and q 3–6 mo during long-term therapy.
• Inject doses of more than 2 mL IM, not SC; use multiple injection sites.
• Refrigerate nasal spray until activated, then store at room temperature.