Drug shortage: Calcium chloride 100 mg/mL X 10 mL vials

The issue: Calcium chloride 100 mg/mL X 10 mL vials are on backorder and supply within Northern Health may deplete prior to backorder resolution.

Potential alternatives:

• Calcium chloride 10% (100 mg/mL) X 10 mL pre-filled syringes.
• Calcium gluconate 10% (100 mg/mL) X 10 mL vials provides 0.23 mmol/mL (9.3 mg/mL) elemental calcium 1 g of calcium chloride is equivalent to approximately 3 g of calcium gluconate.

Further information and practice implications.