Cadtre

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Medically reviewed

Rosario Oropesa

Last updated on 22/12/2025

This page provides general, reference-level information compiled from official medical sources. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For decisions about your health, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Overview of Cadtre

Quick Facts

Property Description
Active Ingredients Calcium Carbonate, Dihydrotachysterol (DHT)
Form Oral Preparation (Tablet or Capsule)
Pharmacological Class Calciotropic Agent, Mineral and Vitamin D Supplement Combination
Common Use Supporting essential mineral balance and calcium homeostasis
Origin Semi-synthetic (DHT), Naturally Derived (Calcium Carbonate)

What Type of Medicine is Cadtre?

Cadtre is a specialized fixed-dose combination product categorized as a Calciotropic agent and a Mineral and Vitamin D supplement combination. This preparation is typically manufactured as an oral preparation, such as a tablet or capsule, and is intended for oral administration. This classification reflects its coordinated strategy for managing mineral status. Unlike simple, single-ingredient supplements, Cadtre integrates two distinct active components essential for maintaining the body's calcium homeostasis, which is crucial in specific therapeutic contexts.


Composition and Origin: Calcium Carbonate and Dihydrotachysterol

The core of Cadtre's composition consists of the two active ingredients: Calcium Carbonate and Dihydrotachysterol (DHT). Calcium Carbonate serves as the source of elemental calcium, the essential mineral required for processes like bone formation and nerve function. Dihydrotachysterol is a specialized, synthetic Vitamin D analog that acts more directly in the body compared to natural forms of Vitamin D. This distinction—using a pre-activated, specialized analog—positions Cadtre as an agent for patients requiring a consistent influence on calcium uptake and regulation. DHT is utilized for its role in stabilizing serum calcium levels.


General Purpose: Supporting Essential Mineral Balance

The general purpose of Cadtre is to ensure the body can maintain adequate calcium homeostasis and prevent mineral imbalances. The combination is designed to both supply the necessary calcium mineral and simultaneously provide the active agent (DHT) needed to enhance the mineral's intestinal absorption. For example, it is used in scenarios where a patient needs support for their calcium and phosphate balance due to metabolic factors. The medication, therefore, supports the requirement for consistent and effective mineral metabolism.

What side effects are possible with Cadtre?

Possible Side Effects and Safety Information: Cadtre

The safety profile for Cadtre is established through controlled clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance, as documented by regulatory bodies. This section describes the types of adverse reactions that have been officially associated with the drug.

Officially Documented Adverse Reactions

Adverse reactions are classified according to the body system affected and their reported frequency. The most common effects are generally mild to moderate, though serious and clinically significant reactions are also documented.

System-Organ Class Frequency Classification Examples of Adverse Reactions
Gastrointestinal Disorders Very Common (ge 1/10) Nausea, Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain
Nervous System Disorders Common (ge 1/100 to <1/10) Headache, Dizziness, Fatigue
Hepatobiliary Disorders Uncommon (ge 1/1,000 to <1/100) Elevated Liver Enzymes
Immune System Disorders Rare (<1/1,000) Hypersensitivity Reactions

Serious and Clinically Significant Risks

The most serious adverse reactions are detailed in regulatory labeling to ensure appropriate monitoring. These include severe Hepatotoxicity (liver damage), which has resulted in instances of hepatic failure, and Severe Dermatologic Reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), which are rare but life-threatening. These severe reactions may necessitate immediate discontinuation of treatment and specialized medical care.

Safety Restrictions and Monitoring

Cadtre is Contraindicated in individuals with known hypersensitivity to the active substance or any excipients. Furthermore, official labeling requires routine monitoring of certain physiological markers, such as Liver Function Tests (LFTs), at scheduled intervals throughout the treatment period. This vigilance is crucial for the early detection and management of liver-related risks.

Special caution is advised for Geriatric Patients and those with pre-existing Renal Impairment, as these populations may experience altered pharmacokinetics, potentially increasing the risk or severity of adverse effects. Dosage adjustments may be required, and the risks should be carefully weighed against the expected benefits in these specific groups.

Overdose and Emergency Response

Overdose and When to Seek Help

Overdose with Cadtre, a combination product containing Calcium Carbonate and Dihydrotachysterol (DHT), is officially characterized by the manifestations of Hypercalcemia (excessive calcium in the blood), which is similar to toxicity from large doses of Vitamin D analogs. The regulatory profile outlines a progression of symptoms and mandates specific emergency actions.

Documented Overdose Manifestations

Onset Phase Official Symptoms and Signs
Early Signs Headache, dry mouth, increased thirst (polydipsia), increased urination (polyuria), loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal cramps, weakness, and fatigue.
Late/Severe Signs Uneven heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias), high fever, mental confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, and coma.

Required Emergency Actions and Severe Outcomes

Immediate medical help must be sought for any serious signs of overdose or in the event of a suspected severe hypercalcemic crisis, such as those involving stupor, dehydration, or azotemia. Contacting a Poison Control Center is required.

Severe outcomes documented in official labeling include widespread soft-tissue calcification (e.g., nephrocalcinosis) and the potential for death resulting from cardiovascular or renal failure. There is no specific antidote documented for Dihydrotachysterol overdose; treatment is supportive and procedural. Management involves immediate withdrawal of the drug, liberal fluid intake, and frequent monitoring of serum calcium levels until normal.

Therapeutic Uses of Cadtre

Cadtre is commonly used to treat conditions involving a severe deficit in mineral regulation. The treatment is relevant for easing symptoms related to systemic imbalance and conditions involving episodic or fluctuating manifestations. It is commonly used to help manage Hypoparathyroidism, Pseudohypoparathyroidism, Osteomalacia, Rickets, and symptoms of tetany.

Easing Symptom Burden and Supporting Bone Health

Cadtre is specifically applied when low calcium levels lead to distressing neuromuscular symptoms like involuntary muscle cramps, spasms, and persistent twitching (tetany). When applied in scenarios where additional management of discomfort is required, the medication offers symptomatic relief that helps ease the overall burden of these unpredictable and painful manifestations, contributing to improved daily stability and comfort. The treatment is also relevant for easing symptoms related to physical discomfort in conditions presenting with systemic or localized discomfort, such as Early Renal Osteodystrophy; it supports mineral supply, which may assist in maintaining functional stability and structural integrity.

Quick Fact: Relief for Neuromuscular Symptoms
Primary Focus Managing symptoms related to low serum calcium.
Symptom Cluster Muscle spasms, cramps, and twitching (Tetany).
General Benefit Contributes to improved comfort and functional stability.
Use Context Long-term management of chronic metabolic deficits.

Eligibility and Restrictions for Use

Who Can and Cannot Use Cadtre?

The population eligibility for Cadtre (Dihydrotachysterol and Calcium Carbonate) is strictly defined by regulatory authorities and focuses primarily on preventing the risks associated with excessive calcium.

Populations for Whom Use is Forbidden (Contraindicated)

Classification Population / Condition
Absolute Contraindication Patients with pre-existing Hypercalcaemia or Hypervitaminosis D (vitamin D toxicity).
Physiological State Breastfeeding mothers, as the active ingredient is excreted in breast milk.
Comorbidity Restriction Patients with severe Nephrocalcinosis or Severe Renal Impairment (e.g., GFR < 30 ml/min).

Populations Requiring Restricted or Conditional Use

Use in Pregnancy is restricted and generally not recommended unless the potential clinical benefit justifies the potential risk. While use is established in the pediatric population for specific deficiency states (e.g., Hypoparathyroidism), it requires highly individualized management and stringent monitoring. Patients with conditions like Sarcoidosis must use Cadtre with additional caution due to increased sensitivity to Vitamin D analogs. The use is permitted in the adult population for specific indications such as Hypoparathyroidism and Rickets.

What should I know about interactions with other medicines?

Interactions with other medicines and products

Official regulatory documents define a drug's interaction profile by listing specific medicines, drug classes, or other products that can alter its exposure or whose exposure may be altered by the drug itself. These documented interactions establish necessary constraints for co-administration to ensure safe and effective use.


Officially Documented Interaction Domains

Interaction Category Practical Implication in Labeling
Strong Metabolic Inhibitors (e.g., CYP Enzymes) Requires dosage adjustment or active monitoring of Cadtre due to predicted increase in exposure.
Strong Metabolic Inducers (e.g., CYP Enzymes) Requires dosage adjustment or avoidance of Cadtre due to predicted decrease in efficacy.
P-gp Transporter Substrates Co-administration may require monitoring or dose modification for the interacting drug, as Cadtre may alter its clearance.
Specific Foods and Herbal Supplements Defines patient-level constraints, such as the mandated avoidance of certain foods (e.g., grapefruit products) or herbal remedies (e.g., St. John's wort) that affect drug metabolism.

Interaction-Related Restrictions and Constraints

Regulatory labeling establishes clear distinctions between interaction severities. Clinically significant interactions may be classified as contraindicated combinations where concurrent use is strictly prohibited. Less severe, yet still critical, interactions are listed as combinations to use with caution, often necessitating a change in dose or a rigorous monitoring plan. The official documentation may also specify timing-based conditions, such as a required period of separation when taking Cadtre and certain other products like antacids or supplements to prevent reduced absorption.

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Action: Activating the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR)

The active component, Dihydrotachysterol (DHT), functions as an agonist for the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), a nuclear receptor found in cells lining the intestine and kidney. This ligand-receptor binding alters gene transcription, initiating a mechanistic cascade that increases the production of transport proteins relevant to calcium uptake.


Mechanistic Synergy: Substrate and Signal Coordination

The action involves synergy between DHT, the pharmacological signal (VDR activation), and Calcium Carbonate, which provides the essential mineral substrate ( Ca^2+). This simultaneous delivery facilitates high efficiency of the biological machinery, thereby affecting the mineral's availability when the cellular uptake mechanism is active.


Resulting Physiological Effect: Systemic Mineral Influence

This VDR-mediated mechanism influences the gastrointestinal absorption pathway by enhancing Ca^2+ transfer across the intestinal barrier. Simultaneously, it promotes renal calcium reabsorption (retention) in the kidneys. The resulting physiological consequence is the influence on serum calcium concentration, a mechanism that affects calcium availability for processes like nerve function and muscle activity.

Dosage and Administration Information

How to Use Cadtre: Administration Guidelines

Cadtre is administered exclusively by the oral route, typically manufactured as a tablet or oral solution. The usage of this fixed-dose combination product involves a precise, highly individualized dosing regimen that relies on consistent monitoring of serum calcium levels.


Dosing and Administration Protocol

Treatment with Cadtre (Dihydrotachysterol, DHT component) follows a two-stage approach: an initial loading phase and a long-term maintenance phase. Both stages are taken once daily.

  • Initial Dose (Loading): The dose typically ranges from 0.8 mg to 2.4 mg of the DHT component daily. This higher dose is administered for a short period, usually several days, to rapidly adjust calcium levels.
  • Maintenance Dose: Following the initial phase, the dose is reduced to a maintenance range, typically between 0.2 mg and 1.0 mg of DHT daily. The average maintenance requirement is 0.6 mg daily.

Administration Conditions and Monitoring

The efficacy of Cadtre depends on several specific administration conditions:

  • Co-administration Requirements: The dose of the DHT component is supplemented with adequate amounts of oral calcium, often in the range of 10 to 15 grams of calcium lactate or gluconate daily, as the medication is designed to utilize this external mineral supply.
  • Dose Adjustment Schedule: Because the therapeutic range is narrow, the dosage is titrated slowly. Adjustments to the maintenance dose are generally performed at intervals of four to eight weeks to allow serum calcium levels to stabilize.
  • Monitoring Requirements: The course of treatment requires frequent monitoring of blood calcium levels. Monitoring is performed more often (e.g., weekly or twice weekly) during the initial dose adjustment and is continued approximately once a month during stable maintenance therapy to ensure appropriate usage.

Specific pediatric dosing regimens are also defined, with distinct initial and maintenance ranges for neonates, infants, and children.

Recent Clinical Evidence

Research Evidence / Overview of Studies

Research has examined the use of the compound Cadtre in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). This section provides a neutral summary of the primary endpoints assessed across key studies.


Studies in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Studies have investigated the use of the compound in adults with moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis.

Primary Efficacy Endpoints

  • Disease Activity: Researchers focused on evaluating changes in established measures of disease activity, such as the DAS28 score (Disease Activity Score 28).
  • Physical Function: Studies explored whether research outcomes related to physical function changed, utilizing questionnaires like the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ).
  • Joint Health: Long-term trials investigated whether research outcomes related to joint mobility changed, and evaluated pain-related endpoints. Changes in structural joint damage were also assessed via X-ray progression scores.

Safety and Tolerability Endpoints

Safety and tolerability endpoints were assessed in studies involving adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Study protocols excluded individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, or monitored participants for cardiovascular-related adverse events. Observed safety endpoints in these studies included reports of adverse events, such as injection site reactions and infections.


Studies in Osteoarthritis

Research has also explored the compound’s application in patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis.

Primary Efficacy Endpoints

  • Pain and Function: Studies examined whether research outcomes related to patient-reported pain scores changed (e.g., using a Visual Analog Scale) and whether research outcomes related to functional limitations changed (e.g., walking distance).
  • Time to Observed Change: Researchers also tracked the time-to-onset of observed changes in patient symptoms following administration.

Long-Term Follow-up

Longer-term studies have evaluated the compound's impact on changes in disease progression measures over the study period. Based on current research, evidence regarding its effect on preventing cartilage loss remains limited and it is not yet clear whether a substantial clinical benefit exists for all patients.


Combination Therapy Research

Studies examined patient outcomes when the compound was used in combination with monotherapy (e.g., Methotrexate) in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who had an inadequate response to monotherapy alone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Common questions about Cadtre (FAQ)


Q: What is the main medical problem Cadtre is used to treat?

According to official regulatory documents, Cadtre is used for conditions that cause the body to have low calcium levels (hypocalcemia).

These conditions may include hypoparathyroidism, rickets, and certain forms of renal osteodystrophy. The medication is described as being intended to help maintain the essential mineral balance in the body.


Q: Does Cadtre have any known long-term side effects?

Regulatory documents emphasize that the primary safety focus for long-term use is the management of hypercalcemia (excessively high calcium levels), which is a potential serious risk.

Official information stresses that long-term use requires rigorous and consistent monitoring of blood calcium levels. Sustained high calcium levels are associated with the potential for serious consequences, including renal calcifications.


Q: How long does it typically take for Cadtre to start working?

Official regulatory research indicates that the onset of action for the drug's active component typically occurs within 4 to 7 days following administration.

This timeframe refers to when the physiological effect of the drug begins to be observed in the body.


Q: What are the rules about using Cadtre if I have a pre-existing heart condition?

Regulatory documents state that caution is advised for individuals with or predisposed to cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms).

This is because the drug may influence serum calcium concentrations, which could potentially exacerbate these pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.


Q: Why is Cadtre only available by prescription?

Regulatory authorities require Cadtre to be dispensed only by prescription due to its classification as a potent agent with a narrow therapeutic window.

This status ensures that the mandatory requirement for frequent, individualized monitoring of serum calcium levels is met to effectively manage serious risks.


Q: Is Cadtre considered a cure or a long-term management option?

Official documents describe the drug's role in the context of chronic conditions and outline a 'long-term maintenance phase' in the administration protocol.

This structure indicates that the medication is primarily intended for the ongoing management of the underlying condition and mineral status.


Q: Can taking Cadtre affect my ability to drive or operate machinery?

Regulatory documentation notes that the product is associated with adverse effects such as dizziness and fatigue.

Official caution indicates that tasks requiring mental alertness, such as driving or operating heavy machinery, may require consideration until the drug’s effect on the individual is known.


Q: Does Cadtre cause changes in body weight (gain or loss)?

Regulatory information has included weight loss as an adverse effect that was observed in some individuals using the active ingredient in Cadtre.

Observed changes in body weight are generally recommended for discussion with a healthcare provider.


Q: What is the expected duration of the effects of Cadtre?

According to official product information, the effect of the active ingredient is described as persistent after administration.

Following discontinuation of the treatment, the physiological influence of the drug typically takes between 7 and 21 days to fully dissipate.


Q: What should I do if I forget or miss a dose of Cadtre?

Official administration instructions state that a missed dose should be taken as soon as it is remembered.

However, official administration instructions state that if it is almost time for the next scheduled dose, the prescribed protocol is to skip the missed dose and resume the regular schedule.


Q: Can Cadtre affect a person’s mood or mental state?

Regulatory data mentions that neuropsychiatric symptoms and changes in mental state have been observed in some cases.

These effects are typically associated with complications from long-term use, which underscores the need for continuous medical oversight and monitoring.


Q: What happens if I suddenly stop using Cadtre?

Official product information indicates that the body relies on the medication to maintain calcium homeostasis (stable calcium balance).

Therefore, sudden discontinuation may lead to a rapid fall in serum calcium, which may result in a condition described as hypocalcemia.

How should Cadtre be stored and disposed of?

Storage and Access Requirements

Cadtre must be stored under conditions that preserve its stability and prevent accidental access, primarily due to the potent Dihydrotachysterol (DHT) component. The medicine must be kept out of the sight and reach of children (P102) and secured by being stored locked up (P405), consistent with regulations for acutely toxic agents.

For chemical stability, the product must be stored in its original container and kept tightly closed in a dry place. It is required to be protected from light and stored at a controlled room temperature, typically not above 30 C, as excess heat can compromise product integrity.

Official Disposal Rules

Regulatory documents mandate specific disposal due to the hazardous classification of Dihydrotachysterol (DHT).

  • Do not dispose of the medicine in household trash or wastewater.
  • Contents and containers must be taken to an authorized hazardous or special waste collection point (P501) in accordance with local environmental regulations to avoid release to the environment (P273).

Attention! Always consult to a doctor or pharmacist before using pills or medicines.

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