Risedronate
Risedronate appears here as one product: Actonel 35 mg tablets. This bisphosphonate slows bone breakdown and is used to treat Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Paget’s Disease of Bone.
Key points
- Risedronate attaches to the mineral surface of bone and blocks the cells that resorb it, while the cells that build new bone keep working.
- It can damage the oesophagus if you do not take it upright with plain water and wait at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else.
- Risedronate must not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and may remain in the body for years after you stop taking it.
How does risedronate work?
Risedronate binds to hydroxyapatite, the mineral that gives bone its hardness, and inhibits osteoclasts, the cells that break down old bone. The bone-building cells continue their work undisturbed, so over time the skeleton gains density and becomes less likely to fracture. In studies of postmenopausal women, markers of bone turnover dropped within one month and reached their lowest point between three and six months of treatment.