Reclast (Zoledronic Acid Injection) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

Pill Identifier Search

February 9, 2012

Reclast

Osteoporosis »

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones. Osteoporosis literally leads to abnormally porous bone that is compressible, like a sponge. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone and results in frequent fractures (breaks) in the bones. Osteopenia is a condition of bone that is slightly less dense than normal bone but not to the degree of bone in osteoporosis.

Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium, all of which give bone its strength. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively minor injury that normally would not cause a bone to fracture. The fracture can be either in the form of cracking (as in a hip fracture) or collapsing (as in a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine). The spine, hips, ribs, and wrists are common areas of bone fractures from osteoporosis although osteoporosis-...

Read the Osteoporosis article »

« Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
next »

Reclast User Reviews >>

Reclast

Osteoporosis Slideshow Pictures

Super Foods for Your Bones Slideshow Pictures

Take the Osteoporosis Quiz

font size

Reclast®
(zoledronic acid) Injection

DRUG DESCRIPTION

Reclast contains zoledronic acid, a bisphosphonic acid which is an inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption. Zoledronic acid is designated chemically as (l-Hydroxy-2-imidazol-l-yl-phosphonoethyl) phosphonic acid monohydrate and its structural formula is:

Reclast®
(zoledronic acid) Structural Formula Illustration

Zoledronic acid monohydrate is a white crystalline powder. Its molecular formula is C₅H₁₀N₂O₇P₂•H₂O and a molar mass of 290.1 g/Mol. Zoledronic acid monohydrate is highly soluble in 0.1N sodium hydroxide solution, sparingly soluble in water and 0.1N hydrochloric acid, and practically insoluble in organic solvents. The pH of the Reclast solution for infusion is approximately 6.0 - 7.0.

Reclast Injection is available as a sterile solution in bottles for intravenous infusion. One bottle with 100 mL solution contains 5.330 mg of zoledronic acid monohydrate, equivalent to 5 mg zoledronic acid on an anhydrous basis.

Inactive Ingredients: 4950 mg of mannitol, USP; and 30 mg of sodium citrate, USP.

What are the possible side effects of zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

urinating less than usual or not at all;
muscle spasms, numb or tingly feeling (especially around your mouth);
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
pale skin, easy bruising, unusual weakness;
severe joint, bone, or muscle pain;...

Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Reclast »

What are the precautions when taking zoledronic acid injection (Reclast)?

Before using zoledronic acid, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other bisphosphonates such as alendronate or risedronate; or if you have trouble breathing (wheezing) after taking aspirin; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney problems, low calcium levels in the blood, problem taking calcium/vitamin D supplements, recent or planned dental surgery (e.g., tooth removal), certain gut problems (malabsorption, surgery on the small intestine), treatment with zoledronic acid (e.g., for cancer), parathyroid/thyroid...

Read All Potential Precautions of Reclast »

Last reviewed on RxList: 9/12/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.