Fortical (Nasal)

Generic name:calcitonin (nasal route) [ kal-si-TOE-nin-(SA-man) ]
Drug class:Calcitonin

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 11, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Fortical
• Miacalcin

In Canada

• Miacalcin Ns

Available Dosage Forms:

• Spray

Therapeutic Class: Calcium Regulator

Pharmacologic Class: Calcitonin

Uses for Fortical

Calcitonin nasal spray is used together with calcium and vitamin D to treat bone loss in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis who have been postmenopause for at least 5 years.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using Fortical

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of calcitonin nasal spray in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of calcitonin nasal spray in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have unwanted side effects (eg, irritation or redness of the nose, stuffy or runny nose), which may require caution in patients receiving calcitonin nasal spray.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of...