Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
What Is Atelvia?
Atelvia (risedronate sodium) Delayed Release Tablets is a bisphosphonate used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
What Are Side Effects of Atelvia?
Common side effects of Atelvia include:
- stomach pain or upset
- nausea
- vomiting
- flu symptoms
- back pain
- muscle pain
- diarrhea
- constipation
- joint pain
- headache
Dosage for Atelvia
The recommended dosage of Atelvia is one 35 mg tablet taken once a week.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Atelvia?
Antacids, ranitidine, proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, and Actonel may interact with Atelvia. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking. Use caution when Atelvia is given to patients with active upper gastrointestinal problems. Do not take Atelvia if you have severe renal impairment.
Atelvia During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
If you are pregnant only take Atelvia if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. Do not take Atelvia if you are breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Atelvia (risedronate sodium) Delayed Release Tablets Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

QUESTION
What is another medical term for osteoporosis? See Answer2 pharmacies near 95014 have coupons for Actonel (Brand Names:Atelvia for 12 Tablets)
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning in your eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling).
Stop using risedronate and call your doctor at once if you have:
- chest pain, new or worsening heartburn;
- difficulty or pain when swallowing;
- pain or burning under the ribs or in the back;
- severe heartburn, burning pain in your upper stomach, or coughing up blood;
- new or unusual pain in your thigh or hip;
- jaw pain, numbness, or swelling;
- severe joint, bone, or muscle pain; or
- low calcium levels--muscle spasms or contractions, numbness or tingly feeling (around your mouth, or in your fingers and toes).
Common side effects may include:
- heartburn, diarrhea, indigestion;
- stomach pain;
- back pain, joint pain, muscle pain; or
- flu-like symptoms.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

SLIDESHOW
Osteoporosis Super-Foods for Strong Bones With Pictures See SlideshowSIDE EFFECTS
Clinical Studies Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Treatment Of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Once-a-Week Dosing with Atelvia (risedronate sodium) Delayed-release Tablets
The safety of Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis was assessed in a 1-year, double-blind, multicenter study comparing Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week to risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily in postmenopausal women 50 years of age or older. Atelvia was administered either at least 30 minutes before (N = 308) or immediately following (N = 307) breakfast, and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily (N = 307) was administered at least 30 minutes before breakfast. Patients with pre-existing gastrointestinal disease and concomitant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton pump inhibitors, and H2 antagonists were included in this clinical trial. All women received daily supplementation with 1000 mg of elemental calcium plus 800 to 1000 international units vitamin D. As treatment with Atelvia resulted in a significantly higher incidence of abdominal pain when administered before breakfast under fasting conditions, safety results that follow refer only to Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week immediately following breakfast and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily.
The incidence of all-cause mortality was 0.0% in the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week group and 0.3% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. The incidence of serious adverse reactions was 6.5% in the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week group and 7.2% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. The percentage of patients who withdrew from the study due to adverse reactions was 9.1% in the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week group and 8.1% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. The overall safety and tolerability profiles of the two dosing regimens were similar. Table 1 lists adverse reactions reported in greater than or equal to 2% of patients. Adverse reactions are shown without attribution of causality.
Table 1: Adverse Reactions Occurring at a Frequency of greater than or equal to 2% in Either Treatment Group
System Organ Class Preferred Term | 35 mg Atelvia | 5 mg Risedronate sodium Immediate-release |
Weekly N = 307 % | Daily N = 307 % | |
Gastrointestinal disorders | ||
Diarrhea | 8.8 | 4.9 |
Abdominal pain | 5.2 | 2.9 |
Constipation | 4.9 | 2.9 |
Vomiting | 4.9 | 1.6 |
Dyspepsia | 3.9 | 3.9 |
Nausea | 3.6 | 3.9 |
Abdominal pain upper | 2.9 | 2.3 |
Infections and infestations | ||
Influenza | 7.2 | 6.2 |
Bronchitis | 3.9 | 4.2 |
Upper respiratory tract infection | 3.6 | 2.6 |
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | ||
Arthralgia | 6.8 | 7.8 |
Back pain | 6.8 | 5.9 |
Pain in extremity | 3.9 | 2.3 |
Musculoskeletal pain | 2.0 | 1.6 |
Muscle spasms | 1.0 | 2.3 |
Nervous system disorders | ||
Dizziness | 2.6 | 3.3 |
Headache | 2.6 | 4.9 |
Acute Phase Reactions
Symptoms consistent with acute phase reaction have been reported with bisphosphonate use. The overall incidence of acute phase reaction was 2.3% in the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week group and 1.3% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. These incidence rates are based on reporting of one or more pre-specified acute phase reaction-like symptoms within 3 days of the first dose and for a duration of 7 days or less.
Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions
Adverse reactions related to the upper gastrointestinal tract occurred in 16% of subjects treated with Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and 15% of subjects treated with risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. The incidence of upper gastrointestinal tract adverse reactions in the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily groups were: abdominal pain (5.2% versus 2.9%), dyspepsia (3.9% versus 3.9%), upper abdominal pain (2.9% versus 2.3%), gastritis (1.0% versus 1.0%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (1.0% versus 1.6%). Study discontinuation due to abdominal pain occurred in 1.3% of the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week group and 0.7% of the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group.
Musculoskeletal Adverse Reactions
Selected musculoskeletal adverse reactions were reported in 16% of subjects treated with Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and 15% of subjects treated with risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. The incidence of musculoskeletal adverse reactions in the Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily groups were: arthralgia (6.8% versus 7.8%), back pain (6.8% versus 5.9%), musculoskeletal pain (2.0% versus 1.6%), and myalgia (1.3% versus 1.0%).
Laboratory Test Findings
Parathyroid hormone
The effect of Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily on parathyroid hormone was evaluated in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. At week 52, in subjects with normal levels at baseline, PTH levels greater than 65 pg/mL (upper limit of normal) were noted in 9% of subjects receiving Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and 8% of subjects receiving risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. In subjects with normal levels at baseline, PTH levels greater than 97 pg/mL (1.5 times the upper limit of normal) were seen in 2% of subjects receiving Atelvia 35 mg once-a-week and no subjects receiving risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. There were no clinically significant differences between treatment groups for levels of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
Daily Dosing With Risedronate Sodium Immediate-Release 5 mg Tablets
The safety of risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg once daily in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis was assessed in four randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multinational trials of 3232 women aged 38 to 85 years with postmenopausal osteoporosis. The duration of the trials was up to three years, with 1619 patients exposed to placebo and 1613 patients exposed to risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. Patients with pre-existing gastrointestinal disease and concomitant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and H2 antagonists were included in these clinical trials. All women received 1000 mg of elemental calcium plus vitamin D supplementation up to 500 international units per day if their 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level was below normal at baseline.
The incidence of all-cause mortality was 2.0% in the placebo group and 1.7% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. The incidence of serious adverse reactions was 24.6% in the placebo group and 27.2% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. The percentage of patients who withdrew from the study due to adverse reactions was 15.6% in the placebo group and 14.8% in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group. The most common adverse reactions reported in greater than 10% of subjects were: back pain, arthralgia, abdominal pain and dyspepsia.
Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions
The incidence of adverse reactions in the placebo and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily groups were: abdominal pain (9.9% versus 12.2%), diarrhea (10.0% versus 10.8%), dyspepsia (10.6% versus 10.8%), and gastritis (2.3% versus 2.7%). Duodenitis and glossitis have been reported uncommonly in the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily group (0.1% to 1%). In patients with active upper gastrointestinal disease at baseline, the incidence of upper gastrointestinal adverse reactions was similar between the placebo and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily groups.
Musculoskeletal Adverse Reactions
The incidence of adverse reactions in the placebo and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily groups were: back pain (26.1% versus 28.0%), arthralgia (22.1% versus 23.7%), myalgia (6.2% versus 6.7%), and bone pain (4.8% versus 5.3%).
Laboratory Test Findings
Throughout the Phase 3 studies, transient decreases from baseline in serum calcium (less than 1%) and serum phosphate (less than 3%) and compensatory increases in serum PTH levels (less than 30%) were observed within 6 months in patients in osteoporosis clinical trials treated with risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. There were no significant differences in serum calcium, phosphate, or PTH levels between placebo and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily at 3 years. Serum calcium levels below 8 mg/dL were observed in 18 patients, 9 (0.5%) in each treatment arm (placebo and risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily). Serum phosphorus levels below 2 mg/dL were observed in 14 patients, 3 (0.2%) treated with placebo and 11 (0.6%) treated with risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily. There have been rare reports (less than 0.1%) of abnormal liver function tests.
Endoscopic Findings
In the risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily clinical trials, endoscopic evaluation was encouraged in any patient with moderate-to-severe gastrointestinal complaints, while maintaining the blind. Endoscopies were performed on equal numbers of patients between the placebo and treated groups [75 (14.5%) placebo; 75 (11.9%) risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily]. Clinically important findings (perforations, ulcers, or bleeding) among this symptomatic population were similar between groups (51% placebo; 39% risedronate sodium immediate-release 5 mg daily).
Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been reported with the use of Atelvia. Because these adverse reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Hypersensitivity and skin reactions have been reported, including angioedema, generalized rash, bullous skin reactions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions
Reactions involving upper gastrointestinal irritation, such as esophagitis and esophageal or gastric ulcers, have been reported [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Musculoskeletal Pain
Bone, joint, or muscle pain, described as severe or incapacitating, have been reported rarely [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Eye Inflammation
Reactions of eye inflammation including iritis and uveitis have been reported rarely.
Jaw Osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis of the jaw has been reported rarely [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Pulmonary
Asthma exacerbations
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Atelvia (Risedronate Sodium Delayed-Release Tablets)
© Atelvia Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Atelvia Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
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