Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule

Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule is used to treat low blood calcium levels (hypocalcaemia) in patients undergoing dialysis for chronic renal failure. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule effectively treats various conditions caused by low calcium levels in the body, such as osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones), osteomalacia/rickets (weak bones), and hypoparathyroidism (low levels of parathyroid hormone). Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule is also indicated in the treatment of psoriasis (a skin disease that causes itchy scaly patches), hypocalcaemia (low calcium levels in the blood) and hypomagnesaemia (low levels of magnesium in the blood) after small bowel resection. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule can also be given to pregnant, nursing, and postmenopausal women to get enough calcium. Additionally, Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule is used to treat hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid glands) and metabolic bone disease in people with chronic kidney disease, surgery, or other conditions.

Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule consists of three medicines: Calcium (mineral), Calcitriol (Vitamin D3), and Zinc sulfate (mineral). Calcium is a mineral that is used to prevent or treat a calcium deficiency. It provides essential nutrients to maintain bone formation and maintenance. Calcitriol is a synthetic version of Vitamin D3 and treats calcium deficiency with hypoparathyroidism (the parathyroid gland's decreased activity) and metabolic bone diseases in people with chronic kidney failure. It raises Vitamin D levels and thereby increases calcium levels in the blood. This helps in improving the absorption rate of calcium from the intestine. Zinc sulfate is a mineral that has an essential role in bone health. Zinc helps to stimulate osteoblastic bone formation and mineralization.

Take Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule as recommended by your doctor. In some cases, Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule can cause side effects like constipation or stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, tiredness, fast or pounding heartbeat, bone/muscle pain, and headache. Most of these side effects of Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if these side effects persist longer, please consult your doctor.

If you are known to be allergic to Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule or its inactive components, please inform your doctor. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult their doctor before taking Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule. Higher doses of Vitamin D than the recommended daily dose should be used in pregnant women only when the doctor advises. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule may pass into the breast milk. Hence, breastfeeding mothers need to seek medical advice before starting Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule. Do not take Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule if you have renal failure, Hypervitaminosis D(excess of vitamin D), Nephrolithiasis/nephrocalcinosis (kidney stones). Inform your doctor if you have any heart/kidney/liver/blood vessel diseases, kidney stones, sarcoidosis (growth of inflammatory cells in different parts of the body), Crohn's disease (inflammatory bowel disease), Whipple's disease (bacterial infection affecting joints and digestive system), low levels of bile, and phosphate imbalance. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule may contain sugar or sorbitol; hence, caution should be taken to have sugar intolerance, diabetes, and phenylketonuria (increased levels of an amino acid called phenylalanine).

Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule is a combination of three drugs: Calcium (mineral), Calcitriol (Vitamin D3), and Zinc sulfate (mineral) used to treat low blood calcium levels and various associated conditions caused by low calcium levels in the body, such as osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones), osteomalacia/rickets (weak bones), hypoparathyroidism (low levels of parathyroid hormone), and tetany (a muscle disease with low blood calcium levels). Calcium is a mineral and prevents or treats calcium deficiency. It helps to maintain bone and teeth health. Calcitriol, a synthetic form of Vitamin D3, treats calcium deficiency with hypoparathyroidism (the parathyroid gland's decreased activity) and metabolic bone diseases in people with chronic kidney failure. Zinc sulfate is an important mineral in the normal growth and development of the skeletal system. It helps maintain bone density by increasing protein synthesis, which helps protect bone health.

• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Fast or pounding heartbeat
• Bone or muscle pain

Please inform your doctor if you are allergic to Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule or any other medicines. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, it is advised to inform your doctor before using Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule. Higher doses of Vitamin D than the recommended daily dose should be used in pregnant women only when the doctor advises. Calcitriol in higher doses may harm the fetus. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule may pass into the breast milk; hence consult your doctor before taking Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule if you are a breastfeeding mother. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule should be used with caution in children and only if advised by a doctor. Calcitriol in Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule can affect growth in children. Inform your doctor if your child is not growing normally while using the Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule. Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule is not recommended if you have hypercalcemia (high calcium levels), metastatic calcification (extra deposits of calcium in the body), hypervitaminosis D (high vitamin D levels), and malabsorption syndrome (difficulty absorbing nutrition from food).

Drug-Drug Interactions: Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule may interact with calcium supplements (ergocalciferol, cholecalciferol), steroid medicines (hydrocortisone, prednisolone), central nervous system stimulants (dextroamphetamine, amphetamine), anti-depressants (duloxetine), minerals (ferrous sulfate), anti-ulcer drugs (ranitidine), synthetic thyroid hormone (levothyroxine), painkillers (aspirin), antibiotics (doxycycline, minocycline), quinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin), weight-loss drugs (orlistat), and anti-cancer medication (estramustine).

Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid or reduce the intake of caffeine, soft drinks, and alcohol that inhibit calcium absorption.

Drug-Disease Interactions: Medcaltrol Soft Gelatin Capsule is contraindicated in hypercalcemia (high calcium level in blood), hypervitaminosis D (high vitamin D level in the body), Vitamin D toxicity, malabsorption syndrome, heart/kidney/liver/blood vessel diseases, kidney stones.

• CHOLECALCIFEROL
• ERGOCALCIFEROL
• HYDROCORTISONE
• PREDNISOLONE
• DEXTROAMPHETAMINE
• AMPHETAMINE
• DULOXETINE
• FERROUS SULPHATE
• RANITIDINE
• LEVOTHYROXINE
• ASPIRIN
• DOXYCYCLINE
• MINOCYCLINE
• CIPROFLOXACIN
• LEVOFLOXACIN
• ORLISTAT
• ESTRAMUSTINE

• Include dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese, or milk-based custard in your regular diet.
• Eat a serving of broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables.
• Snack on calcium-rich nuts like Brazil nuts or almonds.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds over your food, vegetables, and salads. Sesame seeds are high in calcium.
• Avoid or reduce the intake of caffeine, soft drinks, and alcohol that inhibit calcium absorption.
• Replace the meat with tofu or tempeh for extra calcium in your food.

• Clinical monitoring of serum electrolyte concentrations and cardiac function is recommended.
• A low phosphate diet is recommended to control serum phosphorus levels in dialysis patients.

Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a bone disease that weakens and brittle bones by decreasing bone density.  As bones become less dense, they weaken and are more likely to break. Breaking a bone is a serious complication of osteoporosis, especially in older patients. Women are much more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Signs and symptoms include back pain caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra, loss of height over time, a stooped posture, and a bone that breaks much more easily than expected.

Osteomalacia/Rickets: A bone disease caused by softening and weakening bones in children due to inadequate vitamin D. Adults can experience a similar condition known as osteomalacia. It causes bone pain, poor growth, and weak bones, leading to bone deformities.

Tetany: A disease condition due to low calcium levels (hypocalcemia) in the body that causes cramps and spasms in the hands, feet, and larynx (voice box).

Hypoparathyroidism: It is a disease characterized by low levels of parathyroid hormone. This can cause low calcium levels and trigger tetany.