A comparative study of cholecalciferol, dihydrotachysterol and alfacalcidol in the treatment of elderly patients with hypocalcaemia.
Fifty elderly patients with hypocalcaemia were randomly treated for 8 weeks with either oral dihydrotachysterol, parenteral cholecalciferol or oral alfacalcidol. All three treatments were successful in normalizing the serum calcium levels in most patients within 2 weeks. Hypercalcaemia was seen only with alfacalcidol but was rapidly reversed once treatment was discontinued. Hypercalcaemia was not observed with either dihydrotachysterol or cholecalciferol. These therefore, require less frequent biochemical monitoring. A single cholecalciferol injection eliminates the problems of compliance.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004097:Dihydrotachysterol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D004097:Dihydrotachysterol; C008088:alfacalcidol