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Didronel Dosage

For those who are starting Paget's disease treatment with Didronel, dosing typically starts at 5 mg per kg of body weight once daily for up to six months. The recommended Didronel dosage for preventing or treating heterotopic ossification due to hip replacement surgery or spinal cord injury is 20 mg per kg of body weight once daily (started either one month before surgery or immediately after the injury).

 

Didronel Dosage: An Introduction

The dose of Didronel® (etidronate disodium) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • Your weight
  • The medical condition being treated
  • Other medications you may be taking
  • Other medical conditions you may have.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your Didronel dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

Didronel Dosing for Heterotopic Ossification

Heterotopic ossification is bone formation in abnormal areas (such as in muscle). The recommended Didronel dose for preventing or treating heterotopic ossification due to total hip replacement surgery is 20 mg per kg of body weight (about 9 mg per pound) once daily, started one month before surgery and continuing for three months after surgery (for a total of four months).
 
The recommended Didronel dose for preventing or treating heterotopic ossification due to spinal cord injury is 20 mg per kg of body weight (about 9 mg per pound) once daily starting as soon as possible after the injury. After two weeks, the dose should be reduced to 10 mg per kg (about 4.5 mg per pound) once daily for 10 weeks (for a total of 12 weeks).
 
Since Didronel will not impair the healing after total hip replacement or spinal cord injury, there is no need to delay treatment until healing has occurred.
(Didronel Dosage Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;