AHFS Class:

64:00 Heavy Metal Antagonists

Generic Name

• Edetate Calcium Disodium

Edetate calcium disodium is available in 5-mL ampuls containing 200 mg/mL of the drug in water for injection.³²³⁷ For intravenous infusion, the appropriate dose of edetate calcium disodium should be added to 250 to 500 mL of dextrose 5% or sodium chloride 0.9%, or the drug should be diluted to a concentration of approximately 0.5% (5 mg/mL) or less in one of these solutions.³²³⁷; ³²³⁸

Trade Name(s)

Calcium Disodium Versenate

After establishment of adequate urine flow with intravenous fluid administration prior to the first dose, edetate calcium disodium may be administered intravenously or intramuscularly.³²³⁷; ³²³⁸ The manufacturer states that intravenous and intramuscular routes of administration have been found to be equally effective.³²³⁷ Because of the pain associated with intramuscular injection, continuous intravenous infusion generally is preferred; however, the intramuscular route is used in all patients with overt lead encephalopathy and is preferred in patients with lead encephalopathy and cerebral edema.³²³⁷; ³²³⁸ The intramuscular route also is preferred by some for use in young pediatric patients³²³⁷ or may be considered when fluid restriction is required.³²³⁸

For intravenous infusion, the appropriate dose of the drug should be added to 250 to 500 mL of dextrose 5% or sodium chloride 0.9% and infused over 8 to 12 hours.³²³⁷ The drug also has been diluted to a concentration of approximately 0.5% (5 mg/mL) or less in dextrose 5% or sodium chloride 0.9% and administered as a continuous infusion over 24 hours.³²³⁸ When the intravenous route of administration is used, rapid infusion should be avoided.³²³⁷

The total daily dose may be given by intramuscular injection in equally divided doses at 8- to 12-hour intervals.³²³⁷ To minimize pain at the injection site, the drug should be mixed in equal volumes with lidocaine hydrochloride 1% or procaine hydrochloride 1% injection (no longer commercially available in the US) (e.g., 1 mL of local anesthetic for each mL of edetate calcium disodium injection) or 0.25 mL of lidocaine hydrochloride 10% injection can be added to 5 mL of edetate calcium disodium injection to yield a final local anesthetic concentration of 0.5%.³²³⁷; ³²³⁸

Edetate calcium disodium in intact ampuls should be stored at controlled room temperature.³²³⁷

Solution Compatibility

Additive Compatibility

For a list of references cited in the text of this monograph, search the monograph titled References.

ASHP^® Injectable Drug Information^TM. Selected Revisions June 16, 2017. © Copyright, 2024. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists^®, 4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.