Zometa Prescribing Information
Zometa is a brand name for the intravenous prescription medication zoledronic acid. Doctors prescribe Zometa to treat a variety of conditions, including excessive levels of blood calcium, multiple myeloma cancer, bone tumors, Paget's disease and osteoporosis.
Other People Are Reading
-
Function
-
Zometa functions by causing the death of cells in your body that are responsible for the natural break down of bones cells. This also decreases the amount of calcium that is present in your body, which in turn causes the destruction of some tumors that require calcium to grow.
Time Frame
-
Zometa infusions typically last a minimum of 15 minutes, reports RxList. Depending on the reason for treatment, doses may be given as often as one each week or as infrequently as once each month.
-
Dosage
-
Zometa is available in 5mL containers, each of which contains 4mg of zoledronic acid.
Drug Interactions
-
When taken with aminoglycosides, antibiotics like amikacin, or diuretics like furosemide, Zometa poses a risk for calcium deficiency, explains RxList.
Risks
-
Common side effects of Zometa include abdominal or back pain, anxiety, changes in taste, reddening at the site of injection, constipation, cracked or dry skin, diarrhea, dry mouth, fear, depression, frequent urination, hair loss, headaches, sleepiness, thirst, chills and vomiting. Zometa poses a risk for kidney damage or degeneration of the jaw bone in some patients, cautions RxList.
Considerations
-
Because it poses a risk for birth defects and miscarriages, Zometa is not approved for use during pregnancy. If you have a history of anemia, dental diseases, poor oral hygiene, corticosteroid treatment, asthma, heart or kidney disease, hypoparathyroidism, thyroid surgery or calcium deficiency, it may not be safe for you to take Zometa, warns the Mayo Clinic.
-
