Prolia vs. Zometa

• Are Prolia and Zometa the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Prolia?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Zometa?
• What is Prolia?
• What is Zometa?
• What Drugs Interact with Prolia?
• What Drugs Interact with Zometa?
• How Should Prolia Be Taken?
• How Should Zometa Be Taken?

Prolia (denosumab) and Zometa (zoledronic acid) are used to treat bone loss (osteoporosis) in women who are at high risk for bone fracture after menopause.

Zometa is also used to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis. Zometa is also used to treat Paget's disease, high blood levels of calcium caused by cancer (hypercalcemia of malignancy), multiple myeloma (a type of bone marrow cancer), or metastatic bone cancer.

Prolia and Zometa belong to different drug classes. Prolia is a monoclonal antibody and Zometa is a bisphosphonate.

Common side effects of Prolia include:

• low calcium levels (especially if you have kidney problems),
• weakness,
• constipation,
• back pain,
• muscle pain,
• pain in your arms and legs,
• anemia,
• diarrhea, or
• skin problems (eczema, blisters, dry skin, peeling, redness, itching, small bumps).

You may also be more likely to get a serious infection, such as a skin, ear, stomach/gut, or bladder infection while taking Prolia. Tell your doctor if you develop signs of infection, such as:

• fever/chills, night sweats,
• red/swollen/tender/warm skin (with or without pus),
• severe stomach or abdominal pain,
• ear pain or drainage, trouble hearing,
• frequent/painful/burning urination, or
• pink/bloody urine.
• severe itching, burning, rask, blistering, peeling, or dryness of the skin,
• cough,
• shortness of breath,
• pinpoint purple or red spots under your skin,
• flu symptoms, or
• weight loss.

Tell your doctor if your experience serious side effects of Prolia including jaw pain, new or unusual thigh/hip/groin pain, or bone/joint/muscle pain.

Common side effects of Zometa include:

• dizziness,
• headache, or
• flu-like symptoms (such as fever, chills, muscle/joint aches),
• cough,
• vision problems,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• tired feeling,
• joint or muscle pain, or
• redness or swelling where the needle was placed.

Prolia (denosumab) is a monoclonal antibody used to treat bone loss (osteoporosis) in women who are at high risk for bone fracture after menopause.

Zometa (zolcdronic acid) Injection is a bisphosphonate used to treat Paget's disease, high blood levels of calcium caused by cancer (hypercalcemia of malignancy), multiple myeloma (a type of bone marrow cancer), or metastatic bone cancer. Zometa is also used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, and to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis.

Prolia may interact with steroids or cancer medicine, cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus, basiliximab, muromonab-CD3, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, leflunomide, or etanercept.

Zometa may interact with diuretics (water pills), lithium, methotrexate, pain or arthritis medicines, medicines used to treat ulcerative colitis, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, IV antibiotics, antiviral medicines, or cancer medicines. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you are taking.

Prolia should be administered by a doctor. The recommended dose of Prolia is 60 mg administered as a single subcutaneous (under the skin) injection once every 6 months.

Zometa is administered under physician supervision. The maximum recommended dose of Zometa in hypercalcemia of malignancy or in patients with multiple myeloma and metastatic bone lesions from solid tumors is 4 mg as a single-dose intravenous infusion over no less than 15 minutes. Duration of treatment varies depending on the condition being treated.