What Are Bisphosphonate Drugs Used For?
![Bisphosphonate drugs are a class of medications that help prevent bone loss in osteoporosis and other conditions that can weaken the skeleton.](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/what-are-bisphosphonate-drugs.jpg?output-quality=75)
Bisphosphonate drugs work to slow bone loss. They target osteoclast cells that break down old bone and slow their activity, reducing bone breakdown.
Bisphosphonates are used to:
- Reduce the risk of hip and spine fractures in osteoporosis
- Treat Paget's disease of bone
- Prevent or slow bone disease and improve symptoms in people with myeloma
- Prevent or reduce bone problems, including for pain relief, in some patients with advanced prostate cancer
- Reduce the rate of early breast cancer recurrence in the bone in some postmenopausal women
- Help some postmenopausal women with early breast cancer live longer
- Prevent complications from other cancers that have spread to the bones
What Are Some Examples of Bisphosphonate Drugs?
Bisphosphonate drugs include:
- Alendronate (Fosamax)
- Clodronate
- Etidronate (Didronel)
- Ibandronate (Boniva)
- Pamidronate (Aredia)
- Raloxifene (Evista)
- Risedronate (Actonel)
- Riludronate (Skelid)
- Teriparatide (Forteo)
- Zoledronic acid
What Are Side Effects of Bisphosphonate Drugs?
Side effects of bisphosphonate drugs are uncommon and may include:
- Itchy rash
- Photosensitivity (rash on exposure to sunlight)
- Mouth soreness
- Flu-like symptoms (more common with intravenous treatment)
- Bone pain (more common with intravenous treatments)
- Muscle pain
- Headache
Rare side effects of bisphosphonate drugs include:
- Osteonecrosis of the jaw
- Slight increased risk of cancer of the esophagus
- Painful, partial or complete fractures in the upper, outer region of the thigh bone (femur) below the hip (extremely rare)
- Risk is increased with extended use or concomitant steroid treatment or in patients who have diabetes
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References
https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/bisphosphonates/
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/bisphosphonates/how-bisphosphonates-work
https://globalrph.com/drugs/bisphosphonates/
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/bisphosphonates/how-bisphosphonates-work
https://globalrph.com/drugs/bisphosphonates/