Calcium Gluconate Injection
Active ingredient: calcium gluconate monohydrate
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using Calcium Gluconate Injection. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information or if you have any concerns or questions about using Calcium Gluconate Injection.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I using Calcium Gluconate Injection?
2. What should I know before I use Calcium Gluconate Injection?
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How do I use Calcium Gluconate Injection?
5. What should I know while using Calcium Gluconate Injection?
6. Are there any side effects?
7. Product details
1. Why am I using Calcium Gluconate Injection?
Calcium Gluconate Injection contains the active ingredient calcium gluconate monohydrate. Calcium Gluconate Injection belongs to a group of medicines called calcium salts.
Calcium Gluconate Injection is used to treat or prevent a lack of calcium in the body.
Other reasons for treatment with Calcium Gluconate Injection are:
- high potassium in the blood
- an overdose of magnesium sulfate (i.e. Epson salts)
- sudden severe stomach pain
- during heart resuscitation to strengthen the heart muscle.
Calcium Gluconate Injection 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.
2. What should I know before I use Calcium Gluconate Injection?
Warnings
Do not use Calcium Gluconate Injection if:
- you are allergic to calcium gluconate monohydrate, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine
- the calcium levels in your blood or urine are above normal levels
- you have severe heart disease
- you have severe kidney disease
- you suffer from galactose (a sugar) in the blood
- you have been bedridden for a long time causing the loss of calcium from the bones
- you are being treated with certain heart drugs such as digoxin and digitalis
- the calcium gluconate solution is discoloured, cloudy, turbid, or a precipitate is present
- when diluted with another solution it causes the solution to precipitate, become cloudy, turbid, discolour, or particles are visible.
Check with your doctor if you have or have had:
- kidney or heart disease
- kidney stones or stones of the urinary tract
- diseases causing high levels of vitamin D in the blood
- dehydration or any other chemical imbalance in the blood
- high phosphate levels in the blood
- a blood transfusion.
- take any medicines for any other condition
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given Calcium Gluconate Injection.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may interfere with Calcium Gluconate Injection and affect how it works.
These include:
- medicines used to treat heart disease such as cardiac glycosides (e.g. 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 before surgery such as tubocurarine
- medicines containing calcium, magnesium, potassium phosphate or sodium phosphate.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect Calcium Gluconate Injection.
4. How do I use Calcium Gluconate Injection?
How much to use
- Your doctor will decide what dose of Calcium Gluconate Injection you will receive and for how long you will receive it.
When to use Calcium Gluconate Injection
- Calcium Gluconate Injection will only be opened when it is time for you to have the injection.
- Calcium Gluconate Injection should be warmed to body temperature before use and must only be given by a doctor or nurse.
If you given too much Calcium Gluconate Injection
Overdose is unlikely to occur as Calcium Gluconate Injection must only be given by a doctor or nurse. Your doctor or nurse will monitor the level of calcium in the blood. Some medical conditions may result in too much calcium in the blood, you may need urgent medical attention.
You should immediately:
- phone the Poisons Information Centre (by calling 13 11 26), or the New Zealand National Poisons Centre (by calling 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766), or
- contact your doctor, or
- go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
5. What should I know while using Calcium Gluconate Injection?
Things you should 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.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you have been given Calcium Gluconate Injection.
If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you have been given Calcium Gluconate Injection.
Keep all of your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Call your doctor straight away if you:
- become pregnant during the course of Calcium Gluconate Injection treatment.
Remind any doctor, dentist, pharmacist or nurse you visit that you have been given Calcium Gluconate Injection.
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Calcium Gluconate Injection affects you.
Calcium Gluconate Injection 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 out of bed or standing up, get up slowly. If this problem continues or gets worse, talk to your doctor.
Looking after your medicine
- Calcium Gluconate Injection will be stored below 30°C in the surgery, pharmacy or ward of a hospital.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it.
6. Are there any side effects?
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects.
Less serious side effects
| Less serious side effects | What to do |
Mouth related:
Musculoskeletal:
Nervous system:
|
Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry you. |
Serious side effects
| Serious side effects | What to do |
Cardiovascular related:
Gastrointestinal related:
Mouth related:
Musculoskeletal
Nervous system:
Skin related:
Urinary tract related:
|
Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects. |
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor’s prescription.
What Calcium Gluconate Injection contains
| Active ingredient (main ingredient) |
calcium gluconate monohydrate |
| Other ingredients (inactive ingredients) |
calcium saccharate water for injections |
Calcium Gluconate Injection does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine, alcohol, dyes or any preservatives.
Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What Calcium Gluconate Injection looks like
Calcium Gluconate Injection is a clear colourless solution in a clear glass vial sealed with a chlorobutyl grey rubber stopper and an aluminium seal with a white plastic flip-off cap. (AUST R 355191).
Who distributes Calcium Gluconate Injection
Calcium Gluconate Injection is supplied in Australia by:
Phebra Pty Ltd
19 Orion Road, Lane Cove West,
NSW 2066, Australia.
Telephone: 1800 720 020
This leaflet was prepared in July 2021.
