Calcitonin is a hormone produced in the thyroid that has the function of decreasing the concentration of calcium in the blood, decreasing the absorption of calcium by the intestines and preventing the activity of osteoclasts.
Thus, calcitonin is very important for maintaining bone health, and therefore there are drugs with this hormone in the composition, which are used in diseases such as osteoporosis, Paget's disease or Sudeck's syndrome, for example.
What is it for
Calcitonin drugs are used to treat diseases such as:
- Osteoporosis, or associated bone pain, in which the bones are very thin and weak; Paget's bone disease, which is a slow and progressive disease that can cause changes in the size and shape of certain bones; Hypercalcemia, which is characterized by a very elevated calcium in the blood; symptomatic reflex dystrophy, which is a disease that causes pain and changes in the bone, which may involve local bone loss.
Calcitonin has the function of regulating calcium levels in the blood and is therefore used to reverse bone loss. In addition, this hormone is also believed to be involved in bone formation.
When not to use
Generally, the calcitonin used in medicines with this hormone is salmon calcitonin, and therefore it is contraindicated in people with allergies to this substance, or to any other component of the formula.
In addition, it is also not recommended for pregnant women, breastfeeding women and people under 18 years of age.
How to use
The recommended dose of calcitonin depends on the problem to be treated:
- Osteoporosis: The recommended dose is 50 IU per day or 100 IU per day or every other day by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection.Bone pain: The recommended dose is 100 to 200 IU per day by slow intravenous saline infusion physiological or subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, in divided doses, distributed throughout the day, until a satisfactory response is obtained.Paget's Disease: The recommended dose is 100 IU per day or every other day, by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. emergency response of hypercalcemic crisis: The recommended dose is 5 to 10 IU per kilogram of body weight per day, by intravenous infusion, for at least 6 hours, or by slow intravenous injection in 2 to 4 doses divided throughout the day. Chronic hypercalcemia: The recommended dose is 5 to 10 IU per kilogram of body weight per day, by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, in a single dose or in two divided doses. Reflex symptomatic dystrophy: The recommended dose is 100 IU per day by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection for 2 to 4 weeks.
It is up to the doctor to determine how long the treatment should be continued.
Possible side effects
The most common adverse effects that can occur with the use of calcitonin are dizziness, headache, changes in taste, redness of the face or neck, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bone or joint pain and tiredness.
In addition, although less frequently, vision disorders, high blood pressure, vomiting, pain in the muscles, bones or joints, symptoms of flu and swelling of the arms or legs can also occur.
When calcitonin is done
The test to measure the calcitonin values is mainly indicated to identify and monitor the presence of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a disease that causes significant elevations of this hormone.
In addition, calcitonin can also be useful to identify other conditions, such as hyperplasia of C cells of the thyroid, which are the cells that produce calcitonin, as well as to accompany other types of cancer, such as leukemia, lung cancer, breast, pancreas or prostate, for example. Learn more about what the calcitonin test is for and how it is done.
