Calcitriol, or dihydroxycholecalciferol, is an active synthetic form of Vitamin D that enables the body to absorb greater amounts of calcium and phosphate from the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. It aids the body in making the most of the calcium coming from ingested food and other supplements, as well as stimulates the release of calcium and phosphate that are stored in the bones.
Calcitriol belongs to a group of drugs classified as vitamins. It is usually indicated for patients who are undergoing chronic renal dialysis for kidney disease; hypoparathyroidism, a condition characterized by a decreased function of the parathyroid glands (glands in the neck which control calcium levels in the blood), and hypocalcemia, which causes nerve and muscle spasms due to low blood calcium.
Calcitriol is also used in the treatment of secondary hypoparathyroidism and metabolic bone disease secondary to kidney failure. People who have calcium deficiencies and those who suffer from bone diseases like osteoporosis can benefit from taking regular doses of Calcitriol. Those suffering from psoriasis, a skin disease, are sometimes prescribed with a topical form of Calcitriol.