Actonel® (risedronate) is an oral medication prescribed to prevent and treat osteoporosis, a disease that weakens the bones and makes them prone to fracture. It also is used to treat another bone disease, Paget's disease.

Actonel® Side Effects

Actonel® has been linked to an increase in the risk of various side effects, including:

• Problems of the esophagus (a tubular structure that connects the mouth and the stomach) — symptoms include irritation and inflammation, ulcers of the esophagus that sometimes bleed and possibly esophageal cancer (this issue is still unresolved).
• Hypocalcemia (low blood calcium levels) — symptoms, for which you should immediately contact your doctor are muscle spasms, twitches or cramps and/or numbness or tingling in the fingers, toes and area around the mouth. Your doctor will not start you on Actonel® if you have low blood calcium, because the drug may make it worse. The doctor also may prescribe calcium and vitamin D to help prevent low blood calcium when you take Actonel®.
• Osteonecrosis of the jaw (death of bone tissue) — symptoms include pain, swelling and numbness in the jaw, loose teeth and infection of the gums.
• Unusual fractures of the thigh bones — symptoms include unusual pain in the hip, groin and thigh.

It is not yet known if Actonel® causes esophageal cancer. The results of a number of studies are conflicting.

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ)

Some patients using drugs similar to Actonel® have developed loss of bone in the jaw. Symptoms include:

• Pain in the jaw
• Swelling in the gums
• Numbness
• Loose teeth
• Infection of the gums
• Slow healing after injury of or surgery on the gums

Osteonecrosis is more likely to occur in patients who have had cancer or have been treated with radiation, chemotherapy or steroids.

Bone Fractures

Unusual, termed "atypical", bone fractures have also been occurring in users of bisphosphonates (the class of drugs Actonel® belongs to). They are:

• Atypical Subtrochanteric femur fractures — fractures just below the hip joint.
• Diaphyseal femur fractures — fractures in the long part of the thigh bone.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2010 published a safety communication regarding these unusual fractures. The agency said that although it did not know if there was a cause and effect relationship, most of these unusual fractures were occurring in patients taking bisphosphonates. The FDA speculated that there might be a relationship between how long someone took the drug and their risk of taking it.

The new information was being added to the medication labels of these drugs. Other bisphosphonates are Fosamax®, Boniva®, Atelvia®, and Reclast®.

Contact an Actonel® Lawyer

If you or someone you love suffered ONJ or an atypical bone fracture after taking Actonel® or another drug in its class, you may be eligible to seek financial compensation. To find out if you qualify, contact our defective drug attorneys today.