MEDICATION GUIDE
Reclast® (R E -clast)
(zo led ro n ic acid )
Injection
Read the M edication Guide that c o m e s with R eclast before you
start taking it and each tim e you get a refill. There m ay be new
inform ation. This M edication Guide d o e s not take the place of
talking with yo u r d o cto r ab ou t yo u r m edical condition or treat-
m ent. Talk to yo u r d o cto r if you have an y q u estio n s about
Reclast.
W h at is the m o st im portan t in form ation I sh o u ld kn ow ab o u t
R e c la s t?
You sh ould not rece iv e R e cla st if you are a lread y receivin g
Z o m eta. Both R e c la s t and Z o m e ta con tain zo le d ro n ic a cid .
R e c la s t can c a u s e s e r io u s sid e e ffe c ts in clu din g:
1
. L ow calcium levels in yo u r blood (h ypocalcem ia)
2
. S e vere kidney p rob lem s
3
. S evere jaw bone p ro b lem s (o steo n ecro sis)
4
. Bone, joint or m u scle pain
5
. U nusual thigh b on e fractures
1
. L ow c a lc iu m le v e ls in yo u r b lood (h y p o c a lc e m ia ).
R eclast m ay low er the calcium levels in yo u r blood. If you have
low blood calcium before you start taking R eclast, it m ay get
w o rse during treatm ent. Your low blood calcium m u st be treated
before you take Reclast. M ost people with low blood calcium lev-
els do not have sy m p to m s, but s o m e people m ay have s y m p -
to m s. Call yo u r d octor right a w a y if you have s y m p to m s of low
blood calcium su ch as:
•
S p a s m s , tw itch es, or cra m p s in yo u r m u scle s
•
N u m b n e ss or tingling in yo u r fingers, toes, or around you r
m outh
Y our d o cto r m ay p rescribe calcium and vitam in D to help pre-
vent low calcium levels in yo u r blood, w hile you take Reclast.
Take calcium and vitam in D a s yo u r d o cto r tells you to.
2
. S e v e r e k id n ey p ro b le m s.
S evere kidney p ro b lem s m ay happen w h en you take Reclast.
Y our risk of kidney p ro b lem s is higher if you:
•
already have kidney p rob lem s
•
take a diuretic or “w ater pill”
•
do not have en o u gh w ater in yo u r b od y (dehydrated) before
or after you receive R eclast
3
. S e v e r e ja w b o n e p ro b le m s (o s te o n e c ro s is ).
S evere jaw bone p ro b lem s m ay happen w h en you take Reclast.
Your d octor should exam in e you r m outh before you start Reclast.
Y our d octor m ay tell you to se e yo u r dentist before you start
R eclast. It is im portant for you to practice g o o d m outh care dur-
ing treatm ent with Reclast.
4
. U n u su al thigh b o n e fra ctu re s.
S o m e people have develop ed unusual fractures in their thigh
bone. S y m p to m s of a fracture m ay include n ew or unusual pain
in yo u r hip, groin, or thigh.
5
. P o s s ib le harm to yo u r unborn baby.
R e c la s t sh o u ld not be u se d if you are p regn an t. Tell yo u r d o c -
tor right a w a y if you are pregnant or plan to b e co m e pregnant.
R eclast m ay harm yo u r unborn baby.
6
. B o n e, joint, or m u sc le pain
S o m e people w h o take b isp h o sp h o n a te s develop se v e re bone,
joint, or m u scle pain.
C all yo u r d o cto r right a w a y if you h ave an y of th e s e sid e
e ffe c ts.
W h at is R e c la s t?
R eclast is a prescription m edicine used to:
•
Treat or prevent o ste o p o ro sis in w o m e n after m en o p au se.
R eclast helps redu ce the ch a n ce of having a hip or spinal
fracture (break).
•
Increase b on e m a ss in m en with o ste o p o ro sis.
•
Treat or prevent o ste o p o ro sis in either m en or w o m e n w h o
will be taking corticosteroid m ed icin es for at least on e year.
•
Treat certain m en and w o m e n w h o have P a g e t’s d isease of
the bone.
It is not know n h o w long R eclast w o rk s for the treatm ent and
prevention of o ste o p o ro sis. You sh ould se e yo u r d o cto r regularly
to determ ine if R eclast is still right for you .
R eclast is not for use in children.
W h o sh o u ld not tak e R e c la s t?
Do not take R eclast if you:
•
Have low levels of calcium in yo u r blood
•
Are allergic to zoledronic acid or any of its ingredients. A list
of ingredients is at the end of this leaflet.
W h at sh o u ld I tell m y d o cto r b efo re takin g R e c la s t?
B efo re you start R e c la s t, be su re to talk to yo u r d o cto r if you:
•
Have low blood calcium .
•
Have kidney problem s.
•
Had parathyroid or thyroid su rg e ry (glan ds in yo u r neck).
•
Have been told you have trouble ab sorb in g m inerals in yo u r
sto m a ch or intestines (m alabsorption syn d ro m e) or have
had parts of yo u r intestine rem oved.
•
Have asth m a (w h eezin g) from taking aspirin.
•
Plan to have dental su rg e ry or teeth rem oved.
•
Are pregnant, or plan to b e c o m e pregnant. R eclast m ay
harm yo u r unborn baby. R e c la s t sh o u ld not be u se d if you
are p regn an t.
•
Are breastfeedin g or plan to breastfeed. It is not know n if
R eclast p a s s e s into yo u r milk and m ay harm yo u r baby.
Tell yo u r d o cto r ab o u t all the m e d ic in e s you tak e , including
prescription and non-prescription m edicin es, vitam ins, and
herbal su p p lem en ts. Certain m ed icin es m ay affect h ow R eclast
w orks.
E sp e c ia lly tell yo u r d octor if you are taking:
•
An antibiotic. Certain antibiotic m ed icin es called am in o -
g ly co sid e s m ay in crease the effect of R eclast in low ering
yo u r blood calcium for a long period of tim e.
•
A diuretic or “w ater pill”.
•
N on-steroidal anti-inflam m atory m ed icin es (N SAID S).
A sk yo u r d o cto r or p h arm acist for a list of th ese m edicin es, if
you are not sure.
K n ow the m ed icin es you take. Keep a list of them and s h o w it to
yo u r d octor and p h arm acist each tim e you get a n ew m edicine.
H ow w ill I re c e iv e R e c la s t?
•
Y our d o cto r will tell you h ow often you will receive Reclast.
•
R eclast is given by infusion into yo u r vein (intravenously).
Y our infusion sh ould last at least
15
m inutes.
•
Before you receive R eclast, drink at least
2
g la s s e s of fluid
(su ch a s w ater) within a few hours as directed by you r
doctor.
•
You m ay eat before yo u r treatm en t with Reclast.
•
If you m iss a d o se of R eclast, call yo u r d octor or healthcare
provider to sch ed u le yo u r next d ose.
