Lanthanum is used to prevent high blood phosphate levels in patients who are on dialysis due to severe kidney disease. Dialysis removes some phosphate from your blood, but it is difficult to remove enough to keep your phosphate levels balanced. Decreasing blood phosphate levels can help keep your bones strong, prevent unsafe buildup of minerals in your body, and possibly decrease the risk of heart disease and strokes that can result from high phosphate levels. Lanthanum is a natural mineral that works by holding onto phosphate from the diet so that it can pass out of your body.

Take this medication by mouth with or right after each meal, or as directed by your doctor. This medication must be chewed thoroughly before swallowing. You may crush the tablets to make it easier to chew them. Do not swallow tablets whole. It is not necessary to swallow this medication with water.

Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it after each meal every day, or on the schedule given to you by your doctor. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy.

Lanthanum may interfere with the absorption of certain other medications taken by mouth (drugs that interact with antacids). The manufacturer recommends taking these other medications at least 2 hours apart from lanthanum. Talk to your pharmacist for more details (see also the Drug Interactions section).

Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, diarrhea or constipation may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these serious side effects occur: problems with your dialysis access site (graft blockage).

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US -

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking lanthanum, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: stomach/intestinal problems (e.g., ulcers, bowel blockage), problems chewing tablets.

This drug may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.

Before having an X-ray of your stomach, be sure to tell X-ray lab personnel that you are taking this medication.

Children may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug, especially possible effects on bone growth.

This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Consult your doctor for more details.

It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use.

Because this drug is similar to some antacids, lanthanum may interfere with the absorption of certain drugs in the same way as antacids. Consult your pharmacist for details because you may need to separate taking lanthanum by at least 2 hours from any of the following medications, among others: certain azole antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole), certain cephalosporin antibiotics (cefaclor, cefdinir, cefpodoxime), gabapentin, HIV medications (e.g., amprenavir, atazanavir, delavirdine), mycophenolate, quinolones (e.g., ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin), tetracyclines.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Your doctor may direct you to follow a special diet to help lower your blood phosphate levels. Follow the diet closely.

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., blood phosphate and calcium levels) should be performed regularly to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose unless you have just eaten. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

MEDICAL ALERT: Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For enrollment information call MedicAlert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).

Information last revised July 2009 Copyright(c) 2009 First DataBank, Inc.