Category: Prescription Drug
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ACTONEL belongs to a group of medicines called bisphosphonates which are used to treat bone diseases.
ACTONEL works directly on your bones to make them stronger and therefore less likely to break or fracture.
ACTONEL 5mg daily and 35mg Once-a-Week tablets are used to treat:
ACTONEL 30mg tablets are used to treat:
Bone is a living tissue. Old bone is constantly removed from your skeleton and replaced with new bone.
Osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) is a disease that causes bones to become thinner. Thin bones break (fracture) easily.
Osteoporosis is common in women after the menopause (change of life) and is also more likely to occur in women who have reached the menopause early. However, osteoporosis can also occur in women who have not yet reached menopause, and can also occur in men.
Long term steroid treatment can also lead to osteoporosis in both men and women.
Many patients with osteoporosis have no symptoms and you may not even know that you have osteoporosis. However osteoporosis makes you more likely to break bones when you have a fall or sprain. The spine, hip and wrist are the most likely bones to break, although this can happen to any bone in your body. Osteoporosis can also cause back pain, height loss and a curved back.
In osteoporosis ACTONEL works by slowing down the process of old bone being removed. This allows the bone-forming cells time to rebuild normal bone.
ACTONEL also helps to rebuild bone mass. This creates stronger bone which is less likely to fracture. Therefore ACTONEL can reverse the progression of osteoporosis.
Paget`s disease occurs when the process of bone remodelling happens too quickly and in a disordered way. The new bone that is produced is weaker than normal and the affected bones may become enlarged, deformed, painful and may fracture.
There is no evidence that ACTONEL is addictive.
This medicine is available only with a doctor`s prescription.
ACTONEL is not recommended for use in people under the age of 18, as there have been no studies of its effects in this age group.
Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how many tablets you will need to take each day or each week. This depends on your condition and whether or not you are taking any other medicines.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
For osteoporosis, the usual dose is one 5mg tablet each day or one 35mg tablet once a week.
For Paget`s disease of the bone, the usual dose is one 30 mg tablet each day for 2 months.
Swallow ACTONEL with a glass of plain water.
Take ACTONEL while sitting or standing upright. Do not lie down immediately after swallowing ACTONEL.
It is important to stay upright, for example, sitting, standing or walking around, for at least 30 minutes after swallowing your tablet.
It is also very important to stay upright until after you have eaten your first food of the day. These actions will help make sure your tablet reaches your stomach quickly and help avoid irritation to your food pipe (oesophagus), which is the tube that connects your mouth with your stomach.
Do not chew or suck on a tablet of ACTONEL.
ACTONEL is most effective when your stomach is empty therefore it is best to take ACTONEL in the morning, 30 minutes to 1 hour before your first meal, drink or medication of the day.
For ACTONEL 5mg and 30mg tablets, take it at about the same time each day.
Taking your tablets at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take the tablets.
For ACTONEL Once-a-Week 35mg tablets, take it at about the same time each week.
Taking your tablets at the same time each week will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take the tablets.
For ACTONEL 5mg and 30mg tablets:
If it is almost time for your next tablet skip the tablet you missed and take your next tablet when you are meant to. Do not take a double dose to make up for the tablet that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
For the 5mg and 30mg tablets the days of the week are printed on the blister foil to help you remember to take your medicine.
For ACTONEL Once-a-Week 35mg tablets:
If you have forgotten to take your 35mg Once-a-Week tablet, just take your tablet on the day you remember. Do not take two tablets in one day to make up for the tablet you missed. Return to taking one tablet once a week, as originally scheduled on your chosen day.
Stickers are available in the pack to help you remember to take your medicine.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
Do not use ACTONEL if the tablets do not look quite right.
Your doctor will tell you how long your treatment with ACTONEL should last.
Please talk to your doctor before stopping treatment.
If you or somebody else has accidentally taken a large number of tablets, drink a full glass of milk or antacids, and immediately telephone your doctor or pharmacist or the Poisons Information Centre or go to accident and emergency at your nearest hospital. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
Active ingredient:
ACTONEL 5 mg tablet:
5 mg risedronate sodium per tablet
ACTONEL 30 mg tablet:
30 mg risedronate sodium per tablet
ACTONEL Once-a-Week 35 mg tablet:
35 mg risedronate sodium per tablet
Inactive ingredients:
microcrystalline cellulose
lactose
crospovidone
magnesium stearate
hypromellose
macrogol 400
macrogol 8000
silicon dioxide
titanium dioxide
hydroxypropylcellulose
iron oxide yellow (5mg and 35mg tablets only)
iron oxide red (35mg tablet only)
ACTONEL does not contain sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
The 5mg tablets are supplied in pack sizes of 7 and 28 tablets.
The 30mg tablets are supplied in pack sizes of 28 tablets.
The 35mg tablets are supplied in pack sizes of 1 and 4 tablets.