 Actonel (generic name risedronate) is an oral drug used to prevent bone loss and increase bone mass. It is used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, to prevent osteoporosis due to medicines called corticosteroids, and to treat Paget's disease, a condition that causes weak or deformed bones. Actonel belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates, which also includes >Fosamax (alendronate) and >Didronel (etidronate). It works to slow the breakdown of bone, help rebuild bone mass, and reduce the risk of broken bones. Over any three-year period, about one in 16 women with osteoporosis will have a non-vertebral fracture caused by weak bones. Studies have shown that Actonel can reduce the risk of fractures to one in 25 women. It reduces the risk of hip fracture among elderly women with osteoporosis but not for elderly women who do not have osteoporosis. Actonel increases bone mineral density by one to six percent. Anyone taking Actonel should also be sure to get enough >calcium, >vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise as directed by a doctor. Women who take Actonel for osteoporosis can expect to take it indefinitely. Take Actonel on an empty stomach before your first meal, with a full glass of water. To reduce the risk for pain or bleeding in the throat, do not lie down for at least 30 minutes after taking Actonel. Wait at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything except plain water or before taking vitamins, calcium, or antacids. Sources:
Actonel Product Information, Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc., April 2006.
Fogelman, Ignac. " Risedronate Reverses Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women With Low Bone Mass: Results From a Multinational, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial," Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey 55 (2000).
Harris, Steven. "Effects of Risedronate Treatment on Vertebral and Nonvertebral Fractures in Women with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial." The Journal of the American Medical Association 282 (1999).
Michael R. McClung. “Effect of Risedronate on the Risk of Hip Fracture in Elderly Women” The New England Journal of Medicine 344, (2001).
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006.
This answer prepared 3/6/2001.
This information updated 2/6/2007.
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