Pamidronic acid
Encyclopedia
Pamidronic acid or pamidronate disodium (USAN), pamidronate disodium pentahydrate is a nitrogen containing bisphosphonate
, used to prevent osteoporosis
. It is marketed by Novartis
under the brand name Aredia.
loss, and treat osteoporosis
. It is also used to strengthen bone in Paget's disease
, to prevent bone loss due to steroid
use, and in certain cancer
s with high propensity to bone, such as multiple myeloma
. In multiple myeloma, it is usually administered as an intravenous infusion, lasting about 3 hours. The therapy is repeated monthly, and lasts for the life of the patient. Due to its ability to sequester calcium
in bone, it is also used to treat high calcium levels.
It is also used as an experimental treatment of the bone disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta
, or brittle bones.
.
, and dizziness
.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw
is a rare complication which has been associated with the use of bisphosphonates, including pamidronate.
Pamidronate activates human γδ T cells in vitro
and in vivo
, which may lead to flu-like symptoms upon administration.
Bisphosphonate
Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass, used to treat osteoporosis and similar diseases...
, used to prevent osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
. It is marketed by Novartis
Novartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
under the brand name Aredia.
Uses
It is used to prevent boneBone
Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
loss, and treat osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
. It is also used to strengthen bone in Paget's disease
Paget's disease
Sir James Paget, a surgeon and pathologist, described several diseases, including:* Paget's disease of bone * Paget's disease of the breast* Paget-Schroetter disease* Extramammary Paget's disease...
, to prevent bone loss due to steroid
Glucocorticoid
Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor , which is present in almost every vertebrate animal cell...
use, and in certain cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
s with high propensity to bone, such as multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma , also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler's disease , is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies...
. In multiple myeloma, it is usually administered as an intravenous infusion, lasting about 3 hours. The therapy is repeated monthly, and lasts for the life of the patient. Due to its ability to sequester calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
in bone, it is also used to treat high calcium levels.
It is also used as an experimental treatment of the bone disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic bone disorder. People with OI are born with defective connective tissue, or without the ability to make it, usually because of a deficiency of Type-I collagen...
, or brittle bones.
Administration
Intravenous, usually 90 mg monthly. 30 mg, 60 mg, and 90 mg vials are available, mixed with mannitolMannitol
Mannitol is a white, crystalline organic compound with the formula . This polyol is used as an osmotic diuretic agent and a weak renal vasodilator...
.
Side effects
Common side effects include bone pain, low calcium levels, nauseaNausea
Nausea , is a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an involuntary urge to vomit. It often, but not always, precedes vomiting...
, and dizziness
Dizziness
Dizziness refers to an impairment in spatial perception and stability. The term is somewhat imprecise. It can be used to mean vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, or a non-specific feeling such as giddiness or foolishness....
.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw
Osteonecrosis of the jaw
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a severe bone disease that affects the maxilla and the mandible. Various forms of ONJ have been described over the last 160 years, and a number of causes have been suggested in the literature...
is a rare complication which has been associated with the use of bisphosphonates, including pamidronate.
Pamidronate activates human γδ T cells in vitro
In vitro
In vitro refers to studies in experimental biology that are conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological context in order to permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms. Colloquially, these experiments...
and in vivo
In vivo
In vivo is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research...
, which may lead to flu-like symptoms upon administration.