Acute intravenous infusion of disodium dihydrogen (1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonate: mechanism of toxicity.

The acute intravenous toxicity of disodium dihydrogen (1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonate (etidronate disodium; I) and the mechanism of this toxic response have been investigated in 40 beagle dogs. The intravenous toxicity of I is dependent on the total dose administered and the length of the infusion interval. The toxicity of I is directly related to the ability of the drug to bind or complex with the circulating calcium in the blood. Maximum depressions in ionized calcium coincide in time with peak blood levels of I, and at lethal doses electrocardiographic changes indicative of hypocalcemia are observed. For a 2-min infusion of 2 mg of I/kg, no effect is observed on ionized calcium levels, and the electrocardiogram remains normal. At doses of 16 and 32 mg/kg, coincident with an immediate fall in ionized calcium levels, there is a transient rise in total calcium and a fall in phosphorus levels. The ionized calcium level rises, and total calcium level falls and stabilizes at baseline levels within 30 min after the infusion. However, the phosphorus level rises and exceeds the baseline value, reaching 3-4 times normal by 72 h after the infusion. With proven lethal doses of I (60 mg/kg infused over 2 min) and the simultaneous infusion of an ionized calcium salt such as calcium gluconate (20 mg of Ca2+/kg), electrocardiograms remain normal and death is prevented. Thus, an effective antidote in the event of an overdose or too rapid an infusion of I can be employed to prevent acute toxic effects.