Evenity (generic name: romosozumab-aqqg) is an injected medication to slow down osteoporosis in women after menopause. It is prescribed for patients at high risk of bone fractures, who cannot use another osteoporosis treatment, or for whom other osteoporosis medicines did not work well.
Evenity supplies a humanized monoclonal antibody (romosozumab) that targets sclerostin. This molecule inhibits new bone-cell formation and stimulates bone-cell destruction. By blocking sclerostin, romosozumab has the dual effect of increasing bone formation and decreasing bone resorption. Like skin and hair, bones are living organs that constantly renew their cells. The changes brought on by menopause reduce bone density, which increases the risk that fractures can occur more frequently in the vertebrae (spine), carpals, hips, pelvis and upper arms.
Dosage
Evenity is a treatment option administered as a subcutaneous injection by your healthcare provider. The standard dosage is two injections monthly for six months – 12 doses. Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements is necessary while you receive these doses.
If you miss a dose of Evenity, contact your healthcare provider immediately to schedule your next dose as soon as possible. The next dose should be scheduled every month from the date of the last injection.
This text is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.
The most commonly reported side effects from treatment with Evenity include joint pain and headaches. These should diminish over time, but if they persist or worsen, tell the healthcare provider. Be sure to report any side effects to the healthcare provider administering the injections.
Treatment with Evenity increases the risk of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular incident. Get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Symptoms of a heart attack such as chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, feeling light-headed or dizzy
- Symptoms of stroke such as persistent headache; numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or legs; difficulty talking; changes in vision or loss of balance
There are some reports of other serious side effects. Go immediately to an emergency room or your doctor if you have any symptoms of the following:
- Allergic reactions such as a rash; hives; difficulty in swallowing or breathing along with swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
- Hypocalcemia (low calcium levels in the blood). Watch out for symptoms like spasms, twitches, or cramps in your muscles; numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes or around your mouth
- Osteonecrosis (disruption to the blood flow to the jaw bone). Severe jaw bone problems have been reported. It’s important to tell your dentist before dental work that you are on Evenity. It helps to take good care of your teeth and gums while you receive this course of injections.
- Unusual thigh bone fractures. Symptoms of this type of fracture include new or unusual hip, groin, or thigh pain.
Evenity is a preventative treatment designed to slow down and even reverse the risk of bone fracture in women post-menopause who develop osteoporosis.
After menopause, the body may lose more bone than it can create (osteoporosis), resulting in bones being brittle and increasing the risk factors for fracture from even slight stress. Osteoporosis occurs with high frequency in women after the onset of menopause. Statistics show that up to one-half of all women over the age of fifty will, at some point, suffer bone fractures due to osteoporosis. After that, you are five times more likely to suffer another fracture within a year.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis is progressive and will continue and get worse if not treated. Osteoporosis is a silent condition that will only show up as a break. Evenity is an anabolic treatment technique that treats osteoporosis by both slowing down bone cell loss and boosting new cell formation.