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Do people with osteoporosis need more infusions?
What is infusion therapy for osteoporosis?
What are the treatment recommendations for osteoporosis?
- According to a 2019 review, people with osteoporosis prefer less frequent treatments. They’re more likely to stick to a treatment plan that involves one or a few infusions per year than one that involves taking a daily or weekly pill. Infusions may help people avoid missing doses and persist with their treatment plan.
www.healthline.com/health/osteoporosis/infusion-for-osteoporosisInfusions for Osteoporosis: Reclast, Prolia, and Side Effects
Nov 28, 2022 · People with osteoporosis (a condition that causes weak and brittle bones) can get certain drugs by infusion. Depending on the medication, people who opt for infusion therapy will get an infusion as frequently as once every three months, or rarely as once a year.
- Overview
- Zoledronic acid (Reclast)
- Ibandronate (Boniva)
- Pamidronate (Aredia)
- Side effects of osteoporosis infusions
- Benefits of osteoporosis infusions
- Other osteoporosis treatments
- Summary
If daily or weekly pills to treat osteoporosis aren’t a good fit for you, you may be able to receive quarterly or yearly infusions. Side effects are usually mild and typically only occur after the first infusion.
Your body is constantly breaking down and building bone tissue. Osteoporosis is the medical term for low bone density. It develops when your body breaks down bone faster than it can build new tissue.
Experts estimate that osteoporosis affects more than 10 million people in the United States over the age of 50. If your doctor thinks you’re at a high risk of fracture, they may recommend medications to slow the breakdown of your bones or speed up the rate at which you build new bone.
The first-line treatment for osteoporosis is bisphosphonates. This group of drugs prevents bone loss by inhibiting your body’s resorption of bone tissue. Doctors have used them to treat osteoporosis since the 1990s.
You may take osteoporosis medications through:
•oral tablets
Zoledronic acid, aka zoledronate, is also available under the brand name Reclast. It’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to:
•treat osteoporosis in men
•treat and prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
•treat and prevent osteoporosis in people taking glucocorticoids
A healthcare professional administers zoledronic acid to you by infusion once per year to treat osteoporosis. The infusion contains 5 milligrams (mg) of the drug and lasts for at least 15 minutes.
You can also receive zoledronic acid infusions once every 2 years to prevent osteoporosis.
Ibandronate sodium is FDA approved to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. You may also see it under the brand name Boniva.
A healthcare professional will generally administer a 3 mg dose of ibandronate every 3 months. Each infusion takes about 15 to 30 seconds.
A 2021 study found that ibandronate and zoledronic acid were similarly effective in treating older adults with osteoporosis. But ibandronate was typically more affordable.
Ibandronate is also available as a pill you take once a month.
Research also indicates that pamidronate infusions can help treat osteoporosis. But this treatment is not FDA approved.
But doctors do prescribe it to treat hypercalcemia from cancer, Paget’s disease, or cancer that has spread to your bones. A healthcare professional will generally administer pamidronate in a dose of 30 to 60 mg by slow intravenous infusion every 3 to 4 weeks, monthly, or every 3 months.
About 30% of people experience flu-like symptoms after their first infusion. But these symptoms occur in less than 7% of people after additional doses.
You may also experience:
•muscle pain
•joint pain
•headaches 1 to 3 days after the infusion
They usually only last a couple of days and resolve themselves. But you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help with these side effects.
Side effects
Oral bisphosphonates can cause gastrointestinal side effects, such as heartburn and upset stomach. A 2016 study found that these side effects were the most common reasons participants stopped taking their medications. These side effects don’t occur with infusions.
Adherence
According to a 2019 review, people with osteoporosis prefer less frequent treatments. They’re more likely to stick to a treatment plan that involves one or a few infusions per year than one that involves taking a daily or weekly pill. Infusions may help people avoid missing doses and persist with their treatment plan.
Are infusions as effective as other treatments for osteoporosis?
A 2017 review of studies found that zoledronic acid was less effective at reducing the risk of fractures than oral bisphosphonates. But the study also notes that people tend to have better results with infusions like zoledronic acid because they can more easily stick to their treatment plan. Was this helpful?
Oral medications
Some of the most common osteoporosis medications are pills you take by mouth. They include: •alendronate (Fosamax), a daily or weekly pill •risedronate (Actonel), available as a daily, weekly, or monthly pill •ibandronate (Boniva), which is also available as a monthly pill
Injections
Injectable options include monoclonal antibodies and hormone therapies. They include: •denosumab (Prolia), a monoclonal antibody injection you take once every 6 months •romosozumab (Evenity), a monthly monoclonal antibody injection for postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture •calcitonin (Fortical, Miacalcin), if you can’t take other medications or if they don’t work •teriparatide (Forteo), a daily injection you give yourself •abaloparatide (Tymlos), a daily injection you give yourself Hormone treatments like Forteo and Tymlos are often very expensive. Doctors reserve them for people with severe osteoporosis. Calcitonin is also available as a nasal spray.
Nonmedical treatments
Your doctor may recommend treating your osteoporosis without medication if it’s mild and they don’t think you’re at an increased risk of fracturing a bone in the near future. They may recommend some combination of: •weight-bearing exercise •proper nutrition with adequate vitamin D and calcium •taking steps to prevent falls •limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption •avoiding or quitting smoking
Your doctor may recommend medications to slow bone breakdown or increase your rate of new bone growth if they think you’re at a future risk of fracturing a bone. Medications can be taken orally, through injections, or as infusions.
Infusions may help you stick to your treatment plan better. They may also help you avoid gastrointestinal side effects.
- Daniel Yetman
Aug 28, 2024 · And it may be easier for some people to schedule a quarterly or yearly infusion than to remember to take a weekly or monthly pill. Intravenous bisphosphonates may cause mild flu-like symptoms in some people, but usually only after the first infusion.
- Bisphosphonates are the most common medications prescribed for osteoporosis treatment. These include: 1. Alendronate (Fosamax) 2. Risedronate (Acto...
- With the exception of teriparatide, osteoporosis medications slow bone breakdown. Healthy bones continuously break down and rebuild.As you age — es...
- Drugs in the bisphosphonate class are more alike than they are different. They all help maintain bone density. And, all bisphosphonates have been s...
- Drugs such as denosumab, teriparatide and abaloparatide can be used by anyone with osteoporosis, but are more likely to be recommended for people w...
- Bisphosphonate pills aren't absorbed well in the stomach. The main side effects of bisphosphonate pills are stomach upset and heartburn. Generic fo...
- Infused forms of bisphosphonates don't cause stomach upset. And it may be easier for some women to schedule a quarterly or yearly infusion than to...
- Long-term bisphosphonate therapy has been linked to a rare problem in which the upper thighbone cracks and may break. This injury, known as atypica...
- There's some uncertainty about how long to take bisphosphonates because of a lack of long-term studies. Bisphosphonates have been shown to be safe...
- Osteoporosis medications lower the chance of fracture, but they don't eliminate all risk of breaking a bone. If you have a fracture while on treatm...
- Don't rely entirely on medication as the only treatment for your osteoporosis. These practices also are important: 1. Exercise. Weight-bearing phys...
Feb 24, 2024 · Treatment recommendations are often based on an estimate of your risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years using information such as the bone density test. If your risk isn't high, treatment might not include medication and might focus instead on modifying risk factors for bone loss and falls.
Jan 27, 2023 · Currently, there is no cure for osteoporosis. However, treatment options, such as infusion therapy, are available. This therapy involves injecting medication directly into the...
Jun 27, 2024 · How Effective Are Infusions for Osteoporosis? Infusions for osteoporosis are highly effective in increasing bone mass and reducing fracture risk. They've been shown to prevent new fractures, offering comprehensive protection against osteoporotic fractures.
Jul 22, 2024 · intravenous infusion of zoledronic acid (Reclast), given once a year. Your doctor will also consider where your bone loss is centered. Alendronate, risedronate, and ibandronate have all been shown effective for reducing spine fractures.
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related to: Do people with osteoporosis need more infusions?Patients: View Possible Side Effects And Study Findings From An Osteoporosis Treatment. Reduce Fracture Risk With An Osteoporosis Treatment. Visit The Official Patient Website.
Explore A Treatment That Can Increase Bone Formation For Patients With Osteoporosis. Read About An FDA-Approved Drug To Help Patients With PMO At High Fracture Risk.
