Company: Meda Health Sales Ireland Ltd.
Legal category: Prescription. GMS reimbursable. Sport permitted.
Active ingredient: Colecalciferol 4000IU.
Description: White to light yellow, oblong tablet with a score line to facilitate breaking for ease of swallowing.
Presentation: 70, €19.75.
Indication: Treatment of vitamin D deficiency.
Pharmacology: Vitamin D increases the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate. Vitamin D3 counteracts the increase of parathyroid hormone caused by calcium deficiency which causes increased bone resorption. In addition to bone and intestinal mucosa many other tissues have vitamin D receptors, to which the active hormonal form of vitamin D, calcitriol, binds.
Dosage: Adult: One tablet daily (maximum). Adjust dose based on serum levels of 25-hydroxycolecalciferol (25(OH)D), disease severity and response. Elderly: As per adults. Children: Under 12 years, not recommended.
Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients. Diseases/conditions resulting in hypercalcaemia or hypercalciuria. Nephrolithiasis. Nephrocalcinosis. Hypervitaminosis D.
Special precautions: Severe renal impairment (do not use). Caution: Sarcoidosis (monitor calcium in serum and urine), renal impairment (monitor calcium and phosphate levels), long term treatment (monitor serum calcium and creatinine levels; esp. in elderly on concomitant cardiac glycosides or diuretics and in patients with a high tendency to calculus formation). Reduce dose or discontinue if hypercalciuria or renal impairment occurs. Hypercalcaemia may occur (excessive dosing): May increase risk of digitalis toxicity and serious arrhythmias; monitor ECG and serum calcium levels closely. Pregnancy (only in cases of vitamin D deficiency). Contains sucrose and isomalt.
Drug interactions: Other vitamin D products, thiazide diuretics, phenytoin, barbiturates, glucocorticoids (may need to increase Desunin dose), ion exchange resins (cholestyramine), laxatives (paraffin oil).
Adverse drug reactions: None common.
Full prescribing information and references available from Meda Health Sales Ireland Ltd. Telephone: (01) 802 6624. E-mail: info@meda.ie