Growth and Development After Transplantation Medication

Updated: Oct 16, 2018
  • Author: Meredith J Aull, BPharm, PharmD; Chief Editor: Mary C Mancini, MD, PhD, MMM  more...
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Medication

Vitamins and minerals

Class Summary

These are necessary for normal growth and development.

Vitamin A, retinol (Aquasol A)

This vitamin promotes good vision and helps develop and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin.

Vitamin D, calcitriol (Calcijex, Rocaltrol)

This vitamin promotes absorption of calcium and phosphorus in small intestine. It promotes renal tubule resorption of phosphate and increases the rate of accretion and resorption in bone minerals.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E protects polyunsaturated fatty acids in membranes from attack by free radicals and protects RBCs against hemolysis.

Vitamin K, phytonadione (AquaMEPHYTON)

This fat-soluble vitamin is absorbed by the gut and stored in the liver. It is necessary for function of clotting factors in the coagulation cascade. It is used to replace essential vitamins not obtained in sufficient quantities in the diet or to further supplement levels.

Iron, ferrous sulfate (Feosol)

Iron is a nutritionally essential inorganic substance.

Calcium Carbonate (Oystercal, Caltrate)

Calcium carbonate moderates nerve and muscle performance by regulating the action potential excitation threshold.

Zinc gluconate

Zinc gluconate is a cofactor for more than 70 types of enzymes. It is involved in many metabolic processes. One 10-mg tab of zinc gluconate contains 1.4 mg of elemental zinc.

Growth hormone, human (Genotropin, Humatrope)

Human growth hormone stimulates growth of linear bone, skeletal muscle, and organs. It stimulates erythropoietin, which increases RBC mass. In children whose epiphyses are not yet fused, growth hormone therapy usually results in a significant increase in growth velocity (averaging 10-11 cm/y during the first year of therapy in growth hormone deficiency and 7-9 cm/y during the first year in other disorders). Response wanes each year, but growth velocity continues to be faster than pretreatment rates.