Definition of Paricalcitol

Paricalcitol: A man-made form of vitamin D. Brand name: Zemplar. In 1998 paricalcitol was approved by the FDA for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism due to chronic renal failure. It causes less elevation of calcium than calcitriol, another vitamin D analogue and is associated with a lower mortality rate than calcitriol in patients on long-term dialysis.