Oral ibandronate in the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis: review of upper gastrointestinal safety.
Oral daily bisphosphonates carry a potential for gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events, which has been partly addressed by introducing once-weekly regimens. Nevertheless, the need to follow inconvenient dosing instructions every week could still hinder long-term compliance and therapeutic outcome. In addition, survey data indicates that many patients would prefer a once-monthly rather than once-weekly bisphosphonate dosing regimen. Ibandronate is a potent, nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate specifically developed for less frequent administration. In a pivotal study in postmenopausal osteoporosis, oral ibandronate, administered daily or with a between-dose interval of >2 months, demonstrated robust antifracture efficacy and an overall incidence of upper GI adverse events similar to placebo, even in patients at increased risk of such events. This and other clinical studies conducted in postmenopausal women demonstrate that oral ibandronate has an excellent upper GI safety profile.
Epstein
Sol
S
Mt Sinai Medical Center, NY, USA, and INSERM Research Unit 403 and Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France. bonedocsol@aol.com
Delmas
Pierre D
PD
Emkey
Ronald
R
Wilson
Katie M
KM
Hiltbrunner
Valerie
V
Schimmer
Ralph C
RC
D000284:Administration, Oral; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D012968:Etidronic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000517:prevention & control; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000068296:Risedronic Acid
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D000068296:Risedronic Acid; D012968:Etidronic Acid; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid; D019386:Alendronate