Phosphate binders

What are Phosphate binders?

Phosphate binders are used to decrease the absorption of phosphate from food in the digestive tract.

They are used when there is an abnormally high blood phosphate level (hyperphosphatemia) which can be caused by impaired renal phosphate excretion or increased extracellular fluid phosphate loads.

Phosphate binders react with phosphate to form an insoluble compound, making it unable to be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. When taken regularly with meals, phosphate binders lower the concentration of phosphate in serum.

What drugs are phosphate binders?

Calcium carbonate (Alka-Seltzer® or Tums®).
Sucroferric oxyhydroxide (Velphoro®).
Sevelamer (Renvela® or Renagel®).
Lanthanum carbonate (Fosrenol®).
Calcium acetate (PhosLo®, Phoslyra®, Eliphos® or Calphron®).

Phosphate binders are used to reduce positive phosphate balance and to lower serum phosphate levels for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with the aim to prevent progression of chronic kidney disease‐mineral and bone disorder (CKD‐MBD).

Most clinically useful phosphorus binders are hydroxide, carbonate, or acetate salts of metal ions, such as aluminum, calcium, magnesium, and lanthanum.