OpenClaim

Etidronate Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of etidronate include arthralgia, hypertension, and cough, based on 810 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025.

Etidronate side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for etidronate.

1
Arthralgia7.5%61
2
Hypertension6.4%52
3
Cough6.0%49
4
Osteoporosis5.9%48
5
Osteoarthritis5.8%47
6
Arthritis5.8%47
7
Fall5.7%46
8
Musculoskeletal Stiffness4.6%37
9
Pain In Extremity4.4%36
10
Fall4.2%34
11
Dyspnoea4.2%34
12
Hepatic Steatosis4.0%32
13
Diarrhoea3.6%29
14
Pneumonia3.5%28
15
Pain3.5%28

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that etidronate caused these reactions.

Report severity

96.5%Serious782 reports
53.2%Hospitalizations431 reports
14.6%Fatal118 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Etidronate drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside etidronate. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Adalimumab14.3%116
2
Infliximab12.8%104
3
Alendronate-sodium8.1%66
4
Rituximab5.6%45
5
Prednisone5.2%42
6
Risedronate-sodium4.6%37
7
Etanercept4.4%36
8
Albuterol4.0%32
9
Methotrexate4.0%32
10
Ipratropium-bromide3.8%31
11
Diclofenac3.3%27
12
Budesonide3.1%25
13
Atorvastatin-calcium3.1%25
14
Atenolol3.1%25
15
Ranitidine3.1%25

Taken alongside

1
Prednisolone23.8%193
2
Acetaminophen21.9%177
3
Methotrexate21.6%175
4
Folic-acid18.1%147
5
Prednisone16.4%133
6
Furosemide15.7%127
7
Omeprazole13.0%105
8
Calcium12.5%101
9
Aspirin12.0%97
10
Ergocalciferol9.6%78
11
Lansoprazole9.1%74
12
Metoprolol8.4%68
13
Atorvastatin-calcium7.5%61
14
Calcium-carbonate7.4%60
15
Levothyroxine-sodium7.2%58

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports etidronate side effects

71.7% of etidronate adverse event reports involve female patients and 21.1% involve male patients. The largest age group is elderly at 69%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female71.7%
Male21.1%
Unknown7.2%

Age group

< 20.2%
2–110.0%
12–170.0%
18–6431.1%
65+68.7%

What is etidronate used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking etidronate when the adverse event was reported.

Angina PectorisBack PainBone Density DecreasedBone DisorderBone Metabolism DisorderBreast CancerDrug Use For Unknown IndicationExtraskeletal OssificationHip ArthroplastyHypocalcaemiaIll-defined DisorderMenopauseMultiple MyelomaNeck PainOff Label Use

Showing 15 of 38 indications

Etidronate brand names and reporting trend

Etidronate is sold under the brand name Etidronate Disodium.

Brand names

Etidronate Disodium307

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking etidronate with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.