Important Warning[Posted 11/12/2008] FDA issued an update to the Agency's review of safety data regarding the ... Full Alert
Zoledronic acid (Reclast) is used to treat osteoporosis (condition in which the bones become thin and weak and break easily) in women who have undergone menopause ('change of life,' end of regular menstrual periods). Zoledronic acid (Reclast) is also used to treat Paget's disease of bone (a condition in which the bones are soft and weak and may be deformed, painful, or easily broken). Zoledronic acid (Zometa) is used to treat high levels of calcium in the blood that may be caused by certain types of cancer. Zoledronic acid (Zometa) is also used along with cancer chemotherapy to treat bone damage caused by multiple myeloma [cancer that begins in the plasma cells (white blood cells that produce substances needed to fight infection)] or by cancer that began in another part of the body but has spread to the bones. Zoledronic acid (Zometa) is not cancer chemotherapy, and it will not slow or stop the spread of cancer. However, it can be used to treat bone disease in patients who have cancer. Zoledronic acid is in a class of medications called bisphosphonates. It works by slowing bone breakdown, increasing bone density (thickness), and decreasing the amount of calcium released from the bones into the blood.
Pending revision, the material in this section should be considered in light of more recently available information in the MedWatch notification at the beginning of this monograph.
Zoledronic acid comes as a solution (liquid) to inject into a vein over at least 15 minutes. It is usually injected by a health care provider in a doctor's office, hospital, or clinic. When zoledronic acid injection is used to treat high blood levels of calcium caused by cancer it is usually given as a single dose. A second dose may be given at least 7 days after the first dose if blood calcium does not drop to normal levels or does not remain at normal levels. When zoledronic acid injection is used to treat bone damage caused by multiple myeloma or cancer that has spread to the bones, it is usually given once every 3-4 weeks. When zoledronic acid injection is used to treat osteoporosis, it is usually given once a year. When zoledronic acid is used to treat Paget's disease of bone, it is usually given as as a single dose, but additional doses may be given after some time has passed.
Your doctor may prescribe or recommend a calcium supplement and a multivitamin containing vitamin D to take during your treatment. You should take these supplements every day as directed by your doctor.Tell your doctor if there is any reason that you will not be able to take these supplements during your treatment.
You may experience a reaction during the first few days after you receive a dose of zoledronic acid injection. Symptoms of this reaction may include flu-like symptoms, fever, headache, and bone or muscle pain. These symptoms may begin during the first 3 days after you receive a dose of zoledronic acid injection and may last 3-14 days. Your doctor may recommend that you take a nonprescription pain reliever/fever reducer after you receive zoledronic acid injection to prevent or treat these symptoms.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
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