Is Etelcalcetide safe?
Hypocalcemia rates from large trials
Low blood calcium is the typical adverse effect. In the head-to-head trial, lab tests showed hypocalcemia in most patients in both arms. About 5% on etelcalcetide had symptoms: muscle cramps, tingling, and in rare cases seizures. Low calcium can prolong the QT interval and worsen heart failure. So the label requires calcium monitoring. It advises caution in patients with seizure disorders or heart failure. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea were the other common events. Dialysis clears the drug, so it is not suitable for patients who are not on hemodialysis. 12
Low blood calcium. It can cause no symptoms, or it can cause cramps and tingling. In rare cases it causes seizures or heart rhythm changes. Staff check calcium during treatment. 2
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Citations
- Block 2017, JAMA: effect of etelcalcetide vs cinacalcet on serum parathyroid hormone in patients receiving hemodialysis with secondary hyperparathyroidism doi.org
- Amgen: Parsabiv (etelcalcetide) prescribing information pi.amgen.com
Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Etelcalcetide article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.