Aredia

Aredia is a prescription drug that is commonly used for treating high blood calcium due to cancer and Paget's disease. It is also licensed to prevent or delay bone damage caused by multiple myeloma or breast cancer. Aredia comes in an injectable form that is given through IV by a healthcare provider. Side effects that may potentially occur with Aredia include vomiting, fatigue, and anemia.

 

What Is Aredia?

Aredia® (pamidronate disodium) is a prescription medication that belongs to a group of medications known as bisphosphonates. It is used to treat the following conditions:
 
  • High blood calcium levels due to cancer (known medically as hypercalcemia of malignancy)
  • Breast cancer that has spread to bone or multiple myeloma (to help prevent or delay broken bones or other bone damage)
  • Paget's disease of bone.
     
(Click Aredia Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
 

Who Makes Aredia?

Brand-name Aredia is made by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Generic versions of Aredia are made by several different manufacturers of generic medications.
 

How Does Aredia Work?

Aredia belongs to a group of medications known as bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates are most commonly used to treat osteoporosis, but some can be used to treat other conditions. Aredia works to prevent or delay broken bones (fractures) or other bone damage by slowing the destruction that occurs with Paget's disease and cancer and by fighting the abnormal cells that cause bone to wear away.
 
When cancer causes bone destruction, large amounts of calcium are released into the bloodstream, leading to high calcium levels (hypercalcemia). This can be very dangerous. By slowing down the breakdown of bone, Aredia helps to treat high calcium levels caused by cancer.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;