Reclast is a drug that can treat and prevent osteoporosis by reducing bone loss and promoting bone formation. A person receives a reclast infusion via an intravenous infusion (IV) into a vein.
Reclast is a type of bisphosphonate drug that a healthcare professional administers through an intravenous (IV) infusion into the individual’s veins.
This article explains what type of drug Reclast is, how it helps treat osteoporosis, the success rate, and more.
Generally, medications for osteoporosis aim to
Reclast is the brand name for zoledronic acid or zoledronate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it to
- treat and prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal females
- increase bone mass in males with osteoporosis
- treat and prevent osteoporosis in people taking glucocorticoids
- to
treat hypercalcemia, or high levels of calcium in the blood - to treat and manage Paget’s disease, where the body does not replace old bone tissue
Reclast is the most common type of infusion therapy for osteoporosis. Infusion therapy involves a medical professional administering medication through a needle or IV into the bloodstream and cardiovascular system.
Administering Reclast as an infusion therapy works by inhibiting farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase — the molecule that promotes the attachment of
Reclast infusions can prevent bone resorption and maintain bone mass and bone mineral density (BMD).
According to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), a person should receive Reclast infusion therapy once per year to treat osteoporosis.
Reclast is an effective treatment and should improve bone density for around 2-3 years after a person stops treatment.
Additional evidence from medical trials suggests that people who had treatment with Reclast observed a significant increase in BMD at the lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck.
Approximately 30% of people
People who have treatment may also experience:
Adverse effects of Reclast may include:
- low calcium levels
- secondary hyperparathyroidism
- musculoskeletal pain
- femur fractures
- osteonecrosis of the jaw
- atrial fibrillation
- eye inflammation
Learn more about the potential side effects of infusion therapy for osteoporosis.
Reclast is an initial therapy to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis, so people with a high fracture risk will benefit from it.
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) defines people with a high fracture risk as the following:
- postmenopausal females with a history of multiple fractures
- people with fractures while having osteoporosis treatment
- individuals with a T-score less than -3.0 (a person with a T-score of less than
-2.5 has osteoporosis) - a person with a history of a fall resulting in an injury
- people with a fracture while taking medication that causes skeletal damage
- an individual who has a bone fracture that occurred in the past 12 months
A healthcare professional administers the drug as an IV infusion through the vein and directly into the bloodstream. This means people who cannot take oral bisphosphonates can benefit from Reclast.
It is important to note that a person should not take Reclast if they have:
- low levels of calcium in their blood
- kidney problems
- allergies to zoledronic acid or any of its ingredients
Healthcare professionals usually recommend that people having Reclast treatment
It is possible to take certain other medicines, vitamins, and supplements while taking Reclast.
However, certain medicines may affect how it works, so it is advisable to speak with a doctor about taking Reclast with the following medications:
- Antibiotics: Certain antibiotics may increase the effect of Reclast in lowering a person’s blood calcium for an extended period.
- Diuretics: Reclast can cause serious kidney problems, especially if an individual is dehydrated or taking diuretic medications.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs): NSAIDs can cause kidney toxicity or kidney problems.
Here are some useful questions and answers about Reclast and how it can help with osteoporosis.
Is weight gain a side effect of Reclast?
Based on the manufacturer’s labeling, weight gain is typically not a side effect of concern in Reclast.
However, recent evidence suggests that postmenopausal women who receive the drug are more likely to experience
People with a higher risk of developing diabetes should speak with their doctor if they have concerns about weight gain during and after treatment.
Is Reclast worth the risk?
Most, if not all, medications to treat diseases will carry certain risks and have side effects. However, the benefit of taking Reclast to treat osteoporosis outweighs the risk.
A
According to a
A yearly infusion of a drug such as Reclast helps ensure people maintain their treatment schedule and do not miss medication doses.
Oral bisphosphonates can cause gastrointestinal side effects. A
What is the success rate of Reclast?
A 2021 review of research found that taking Reclast has no significant effect on fracture healing, but it does increase the changes in BMD and reduces bone resorption.
In a clinical study of 2,127 men and women ages 50–95 years with a fracture caused by osteoporosis, Reclast significantly reduced the occurrence of clinical fracture by 35%.
There was also a 46% reduction in the risk of clinical spinal fractures.
Reclast is an FDA-approved infusion therapy that involves injecting the medication directly into a person’s bloodstream to bypass barriers to absorption.
A doctor might prescribe this to someone with osteoporosis to slow bone breakdown or increase the rate of new bone growth if they are at risk of fracturing a bone.
Most people receive Reclast treatment once a year. The most common symptoms, such as bone joint or muscle pain, are usually short-term.
Overall, it is an effective treatment that improves bone mass in individuals.