Brand Name

Reclast {Novartis}

Generic Name

zoledronic acid, pronounced ZOE-le-DRON-ik AS-id

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Drug Guide

The information contained in the following drug guide is intended as an educational resource only. This guide is not exhaustive and does not contain all available information about this drug.This guide is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment.

The information provided in this guide does not replace the need for the advice and services of medical professionals or the need for medical examination. Always talk to your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescription medication or over the counter drugs (including any supplements) or before making any changes to your treatment. Only your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can provide you with safe and effective advice regarding your drug treatment.

The use of the information in this guide is at your sole risk. This information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties to accuracy or timeliness.

**All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

What is Reclast?

Reclast treats and prevents osteoporosis in both women and men. You may experience osteoporosis caused by menopause or from taking steroids. Reclast is also used to treat Paget’s disease of bone in women and men.

Reclast may also be used for purposes not indicated in this medication guide.

Key Facts About Reclast

Reclast is in a group of medications called bisphosphonates, and it works by altering the cycle of both your bone formation and the breakdown of bone in your body. Reclast also slows bone loss while increasing your bone mass, which can help you to avoid future bone fractures.

Reclast is usually administered once a year, via an intravenous infusion.

Some patients who have used medications similar to Reclast have reported bone loss in their jaw, which is also called osteonecrosis of the jaw. The symptoms of this condition can include jaw pain, swelling, numbness, loose teeth, gum infections or a slow healing after injury or surgery involving your gums. You may be more likely to develop osteonecrosis of the jaw if you have cancer, have been treated with chemotherapy, radiation or steroids, have a blood clotting disorder, anemia or a pre-existing dental problem.

Reclast can harm your kidneys. This is more likely to be a concern if concurrent medications that are harmful to the kidneys are used together. These may include chemotherapy medications, antiviral medications, pain/arthritis medication, certain antibiotics or medications used to prevent organ rejection.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Reclast is in FDA pregnancy category D. Reclast is known to harm an unborn baby. If you are breast-feeding you should ask your doctor about taking Reclast. Reclast may affect a breast-feeding baby as it is known to pass into breast milk.

Before You Take Reclast

Reclast should not be used if you are allergic to zoledronic acid or similar medications like alendronate (Fosamax), etidronate (Didronel), ibandronate (Boniva), pamidronate (Aredia), risedronate (Actonel) or tiludronate (Skelid).

You should not take Reclast if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, have severe kidney disease or if you have low levels of calcium in your blood.

If you have aspirin-sensitive asthma, a thyroid or parathyroid disorder or malabsorption syndrome you may not be a candidate to take Reclast.

Before taking Reclast, tell your doctor if you have a history of surgery to remove part of your intestine or have had bone cancer.

Reclast should not be used if you have renal failure. You should let your doctor know if you have kidney disease or if you are dehydrated before taking Reclast.

Reclast and Zometa are two different brands of zoledronic acid. You should not receive Reclast if you are already receiving Zometa. It is extremely important for you to tell your doctor if you are being treated with Zometa

You may need to have a dental exam before taking Reclast and receive preventative tooth and gum care, especially if you are undergoing chemotherapy, taking steroids or have poor dental health.

You should try and avoid any type of dental surgery while you are being treated with Reclast, as this medication may cause you to take longer to heal.

Reclast Drug Interactions

You should inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• antiviral medications like adefovir (Hepsera), cidofovir (Vistide) and foscarnet (Foscavir)
• cancer medications like aldesleukin (Proleukin), carmustine (BiCNU, Gliadel), cisplatin (Platinol), ifosfamide (Ifex), oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), streptozocin (Zanosar) and tretinoin (Vesanoid)
• celecoxib (Celebrex)
• cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)
• diclofenac (Arthrotec, Cambia, Cataflam, Voltaren, Flector Patch, Pennsaid, Solareze)
• diflunisal (Dolobid)
• diuretics
• ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
• indomethacin (Indocin)
• IV antibiotics including amphotericin B (Amphotec, AmBisome, Abelcet), amikacin (Amikin), bacitracin (Baci IM), capreomycin (Capastat), gentamicin (Garamycin), kanamycin (Kantrex), streptomycin and vancomycin (Vancocin, Vancoled)
• ketoprofen (Orudis)
• ketorolac (Toradol)
• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
• meloxicam (Mobic)
• mesalamine (Pentasa)
• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Treximet)
• piroxicam (Feldene)
• sirolimus (Rapamune)
• sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)
• tacrolimus (Prograf)

Other drugs you take that are not listed may interact with Reclast. You should tell your doctor about all of the medications you use. This includes prescription drugs, vitamins, supplements and herbal products, and over the counter medications. You should not begin taking a new medication without telling your doctor first.

Directions for Taking Reclast

Reclast is injected into your vein through an IV. You will likely receive this injection in a clinic or in a hospital setting. Reclast be infused slowly into the vein over a period of at least 15 minutes.

You may receive Reclast only one time per year. You may only need to take Reclast for 3-5 years if you are taking it for osteoporosis. Your doctor will tell you how often you should receive a dose of Reclast, and how long you should take it.

You should drink at least 2 glasses of water 1-3 hours before you receive your Reclast injection to prevent dehydration.

You may be prescribed calcium and vitamin D supplements while you are being treated with Reclast. Take care to follow your doctor’s instructions regarding these supplements.

Your kidney function may also need to be tested regularly to be certain that Reclast is helping your condition and not harming you in any way.

Reclast Side Effects

If you experience any of the following adverse effects you should stop taking Reclast and seek emergency medical help immediately:

• allergic reaction symptoms like breathing difficulties, hives, and swelling of your face, lips, throat or tongue
• bronchospasms with wheezing and coughing
• bruising easily
• drowsiness, confusion and mood changes
• faint feeling, like you might pass out
• fever, body aches, chills and flu symptoms
• muscle spasms and a numb or tingly feeling, especially around your mouth
• new or unusual pain in your hip or thigh
• paleness
• severe joint, bone or muscle pain
• shortness of breath
• swelling and weight gain
• thirst that is increased with appetite loss, nausea and vomiting
• urinating less than usual or not at all
• weakness

Less serious side effects of Reclast may include

• Constipation or diarrhea
• cough
• headache
• joint pain and muscle pain (mild)
• swelling or redness where the needle was placed
• tired feeling
• vision problems

It should be noted that this is not a complete list of possible side effects of Reclast. You should contact your physician for a complete list and medical advice regarding these effects.

Reclast Description and Dosing

Reclast is available as a 5 mg in a 100 mL ready to infuse solution.

After opening it is stable for 24 hours refrigerated at 2-8 degrees Celsius or 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you suspect that you have overdosed with Reclast you should seek emergency help immediately.

Ingredients in Reclast

One bottle with 100 mL solution contains 5.330 mg of zoledronic acid monohydrate, and this is equivalent to 5 mg zoledronic acid on an anhydrous basis.

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The information contained in this drug guide is intended as an educational resource only. This guide is not exhaustive and does not contain all available information about this drug.This guide is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment.

The information provided in this guide does not replace the need for the advice and services of medical professionals or the need for medical examination. Always talk to your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescription medication or over the counter drugs (including any supplements) or before making any changes to your treatment. Only your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can provide you with safe and effective advice regarding your drug treatment.

The use of the information in this guide is at your sole risk. This information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties to accuracy or timeliness.

**All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.