Calcium Gluconate 10% Injection

Contains 95mg/mL Calcium Gluconate and 3.0 mg/mL Calcium D-Saccarate

Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Calcium Gluconate Injection. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given Calcium Gluconate Injection against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

If you have any concerns about being given this medicine, ask your doctor.

Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.

What Calcium Gluconate Injection is used for

Calcium gluconate is a calcium salt used to treat or prevent a lack of calcium in the body. Other reasons for treatment with Calcium Gluconate Injection are:

• high potassium levels in the blood
• an overdose of magnesium sulfate i.e. Epsom salts
• sudden severe stomach pain
• during heart resuscitation to strengthen the heart muscle.

This medicine works by increasing the level of calcium in the blood or by binding to excess potassium or magnesium in the blood.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.

Before you are given Calcium Gluconate Injection

When you must not be given it

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if you have an allergy to:

• any medicine containing calcium gluconate
• any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

• shortness of breath
• wheezing or difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
• rash, itching or hives on the skin.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if the calcium levels in your blood or urine are above normal levels. Some conditions that may cause high levels of calcium are:

• hyperparathyroidism, an over production of certain hormones
• an overdose of vitamin D
• tumours of the bone or other tumours which raise levels of calcium in the blood.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if you have severe heart disease.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if you have severe kidney disease.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if you suffer from galactosaemia. This is a rare genetic disorder.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if you have been immobilized for a long time causing the loss of calcium from the bones.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if you are being treated with certain heart drugs such as digoxin and digitalis.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if the solution is discoloured, cloudy, turbid, or a precipitate is present. The solution is normally a clear, colourless liquid.

You should not be given Calcium Gluconate Injection if when diluted with another solution it causes the solution to precipitate, become cloudy, turbid, discolour, or particles are visible.

You should not be given this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If you are given this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.

If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.

Before you start to take it

Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.

Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:

• kidney or heart disease
• kidney stones or stones of the urinary tract
• diseases causing elevated vitamin D levels
• dehydration or any other chemical imbalance in the blood
• high phosphate levels in the blood
• a blood transfusion.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of Calcium Gluconate Injection during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given Calcium Gluconate Injection.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket, health food shop, naturopath or herbalist.

Some medicines and calcium gluconate may interfere with each other. These include:

• medicines used to treat heart disease such as cardiac glycosides eg digoxin or digitalis
• tetracycline antibiotics such as Achromycin and Tetrex
• high doses of vitamin D or vitamin A
• medicines used to treat Paget’s disease such as calcitonin
• medicines used to reduce blood pressure such as verapamil and other calcium channel blockers
• medicines used to reduce excess fluid in the body such as thiazide diuretics
• medicines used to relax muscles prior to surgery such as tubocurarine
• medicines containing calcium, magnesium, potassium phosphate or sodium phosphate.

These medicines may be affected by Calcium Gluconate Injection or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.

Your doctor or pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while being given calcium gluconate.

How Calcium Gluconate Injection is given

Calcium Gluconate Injection must only be given by a doctor or nurse.

It is usually given as a slow injection or infusion into a vein.

Calcium Gluconate Injection will normally be warmed to body temperature before use.

Your doctor will decide what dose of calcium gluconate you will receive and for how long you will receive it. This depends on your medical condition and other factors, such as your weight. Sometimes only a single dose of calcium gluconate is required.

If you are given too much (overdose)

Calcium Gluconate Injection must only be given by a doctor or nurse so an overdose is unlikely to occur.

Some medical conditions may result in too much calcium in the blood. Your doctor or nurse will monitor the level of calcium in the blood.

If you experience any symptoms of an overdose contact your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital.

Symptoms of an overdose may include:

• nausea, vomiting
• loss of appetite
• abdominal pain, constipation
• weakness in the muscles and painful joints
• excessive thirst and excessive passing of urine
• change in heart beat or chest pain.

While you are being given Calcium Gluconate Injection

Things you must do

If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you have been given Calcium Gluconate Injection.

Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you have been given this medicine.

If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you have been given this medicine . It may affect other medicines used during surgery.

If you become pregnant while being given this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.

If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you have been given this medicine. It may interfere with the results of some tests.

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked. Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Calcium Gluconate Injection affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness, light-headedness or weakness in some people. If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else dangerous.

If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint when getting gout of bed or standing up, get up slowly. Standing up slowly, especially when you get up from bed or chairs, will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure. If this problem continues or gets worse, talk to your doctor.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given Calcium Gluconate Injection. This medicine may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Ask your doctor to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

• tingling sensation
• a feeling of heat or heaviness over the body
• a calcium or chalky taste.

If any of the following happen tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:

• dizziness, feeling faint
• irregular, fast or slow heart beat, chest pain
• nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite
• constipation or abdominal pain
• sweating, hot flushes
• skin redness, pain or burning at injection site
• muscle or joint pain
• tiredness or weakness
• excessive thirst or urination.

The above list includes very serious side effects. These side effects are very rare.

Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.

Some of these side effects can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.

After being given Calcium Gluconate Injection

Following the injection of calcium gluconate you should lie down for a short time to prevent dizziness.

If you feel light-headed or dizzy when getting up, get up slowly. Standing up slowly will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure.

If this problem continues or gets worse, talk to your doctor or nurse.

Storage

Calcium Gluconate Injection will be stored in the surgery, pharmacy or ward of a hospital. The injection is kept in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C but not refrigerated.

Calcium Gluconate Injection will be opened for use on you. It will be used only once and then it will be discarded. It will never be stored after it is opened nor used for more than one person.

Product description

What it looks like

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10% is a clear colourless solution in a clear glass vial with a plastic top.

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10% is available in either a 10mL vial or a 50mL vial.

Ingredients

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10% contains 95mg/mL calcium gluconate and 3.0 mg/mL calcium D-saccharate in water for injections.

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10% does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine, alcohol, dyes or any preservatives.

Manufacturer

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10% is made in Australia by:
Phebra
332 Burns Bay Road
Lane Cove NSW 2066
Australia

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10%
(100mg/mL) 10mL vial
AUST R 22923
Catalogue number INJ022

Calcium Gluconate Injection 10%
(100mg/mL) 50mL vial
AUST R
Catalogue number INJ002

This leaflet was prepared in March 2007.

Version 02

Published by MIMS/myDr April 2010

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