edetate calcium disodium
Edetate calcium disodium (or calcium EDTA) is an injection used to treat people in the hospital or clinic with lead poisoning. It's given as an injection into the veins or into the muscle. Side effects include pain at the injection site, headaches, and rash.
What is Edetate calcium disodium?
What is Edetate calcium disodium used for?
- Lead poisoning in children and adults
How Edetate calcium disodium works
Edetate calcium disodium is a chelating agent, which means that it attaches to lead (a type of metal) to help remove it from the body.
Drug facts
Side effects of Edetate calcium disodium
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
Less Common Side Effects
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Edetate calcium disodium serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- High pressure in the brain: changes in vision, headache, nausea, vomiting
- Kidney damage: more frequent urination, swelling in legs, fatigue
The following Edetate calcium disodium side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Heart rhythm changes—fast or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, feeling faint or lightheaded, chest pain, trouble breathing
- Increased pressure around the brain—severe headache, blurry vision, change in vision, nausea, vomiting
- Kidney injury—decrease in the amount of urine, swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet
- Red or dark brown urine
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Pros and cons of Edetate calcium disodium
Pros
- An option to treat lead poisoning
- Approved for use in both children and adults
- Can be used in pregnancy if benefits outweigh the risks
Cons
- Needs to be given as an intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) injection
- Must receive regular blood lead levels drawn during treatment to help see how well the medication is working
- Can't be used to prevent lead poisoning
Pharmacist tips for Edetate calcium disodium
- Your provider might give edetate calcium disodium to you as either an infusion through the veins or injection into the muscle. Both types of injections work just as well as each other in treating lead poisoning.
- Contact your provider right away if you don't urinate for 12 hours. This is because edetate calcium disodium might build up in your body and cause side effects.
- Make sure you understand what the sources of lead exposure were to help prevent future lead poisoning events. edetate calcium disodium. Contact your local department of public health for help and information about removing sources of lead.
Common questions about Edetate calcium disodium
According to the clinical treatment guidelines for lead poisoning, edetate calcium disodium can be used by itself or together with another medication called dimercaprol. It's also considered in people who either can't take Chemet (succimer) by mouth, have severe symptoms (e.g., confusion), or have high blood lead levels. Your healthcare provider will decide if edetate calcium disodium is right for you.
It depends. The typical length of treatment is two courses of edetate calcium disodium each lasting for 5 days. The two courses are separated by a break of 2 to 4 days. This is done to help prevent edetate calcium disodium from lowering the levels of other essential chemicals in your body by too much. But your provider will decide how long you need to receive edetate calcium disodium for because it'll likely depend on several factors, like how well your symptoms are improving and if you're having side effects.
Yes, because edetate calcium disodium can cause side effects that affect different parts of your body, your provider will order tests to check your health before and during treatment. Some tests you can expect include those that check your urine, electrolyte levels, and liver and kidney health. Ask your provider if you have any questions about these tests or what they're used to check for.
There's limited research on the safety of edetate calcium disodium during pregnancy. A very small study found babies born to mothers who were treated for lead poisoning with metal chelators, including edetate calcium disodium, weren't harmed. Also, in animal studies, edetate calcium disodium didn't cause harm to unborn babies at higher than typical doses used in humans. But clinical practice guidelines recommend edetate calcium disodium as an option during pregnancy when it's clearly needed and the benefits outweigh the risks of using it. Discuss with your provider about the safety of this medication while pregnant.
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Risks and warnings for Edetate calcium disodium
Edetate calcium disodium can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
High pressure in the brain
- Risk factors: Brain problems due to lead poisoning | Cerebral edema (brain swelling) | Infusing edetate calcium disodium IV too fast | High doses of edetate calcium disodium
Some people receiving edetate calcium disodium had high pressure in the brain. This can lead to symptoms like changes in your vision, headache, nausea, and vomiting. People who have brain problems caused by lead poisoning or brain swelling are more at risk for experiencing this life-threatening condition. Let your provider know right away if you experience frequent headaches, blurry vision, and other changes in vision.
Kidney damage
Although rare, edetate calcium disodium can damage your kidneys. Your provider will monitor your kidney health and might need to have you stop the medication if it's harming your kidneys. Let your provider know if you haven't urinated for at least 12 hours because this could be a sign that your kidneys aren't working properly. Also, tell your provider if you notice bloody or foamy urine, lower back pain, or fatigue, because these could be signs of damaged kidneys.
Edetate calcium disodium dosage
Typical dosage for Edetate calcium disodium
Edetate calcium disodium is given either as a slow infusion into the veins (intravenous or IV) or injection into the muscle (intramuscular or IM). Depending on your dose, you might receive the injection for multiple days.
Your provider will calculate your dose based on your age, height, weight, kidney health, blood lead levels, your lead poisoning symptoms, and if you're having side effects from edetate calcium disodium.
Edetate calcium disodium contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Edetate calcium disodium will not be safe for you to take.
- Active kidney problems
- Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
- Not producing urine
