Levorphanol Tartrate and Zometa

• Generic Name: levorphanol
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Levo-Dromoran

Relief of moderate to severe pain.

Usually, temporary relief of moderate to severe pain such as that associated with acute and some chronic medical disorders including renal or biliary colic, acute trauma, postoperative pain, and cancer.

In symptomatic treatment of acute pain, reserve opiate analgesics for pain resulting from severe injuries, severe medical conditions, or surgical procedures, or when nonopiate alternatives for relieving pain and restoring function are expected to be ineffective or are contraindicated. Use smallest effective dosage for shortest possible duration since long-term opiate use often begins with treatment of acute pain. Optimize concomitant use of other appropriate therapies. (See Managing Opiate Therapy for Acute Pain under Dosage and Administration.)

In the management of chronic pain associated with a terminal illness such as cancer, the principal goal of analgesic therapy is to make the patient relatively pain-free while maintaining as good a quality of life as possible.

Generally use opiates for management of chronic pain (i.e., pain lasting >3 months or past the time of normal tissue healing ) that is not associated with active cancer treatment, palliative care, or end-of-life care only if other appropriate nonpharmacologic and nonopiate pharmacologic strategies have been ineffective and expected benefits for both pain relief and functional improvement are anticipated to outweigh risks.

If used for chronic pain, opiate analgesics should be part of an integrated approach that also includes appropriate nonpharmacologic modalities (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, functional restoration, exercise therapy, certain interventional procedures) and other appropriate pharmacologic therapies (e.g., nonopiate analgesics, analgesic adjuncts such as selected anticonvulsants and antidepressants for certain neuropathic pain conditions).

Available evidence insufficient to determine whether long-term opiate therapy for chronic pain results in sustained pain relief or improvements in function and quality of life or is superior to other pharmacologic or nonpharmacologic treatments. Use is associated with serious risks (e.g., opiate use disorder, overdose). (See Managing Opiate Therapy for Chronic Noncancer Pain under Dosage and Administration.)

• Generic Name: zoledronic acid
• Dosage Forms: injection, solution, concentrate
• Other Brand Names: Reclast, Zometa, Aclasta, Zometa Concentrate

Zometa (zoledronic acid) (sometimes called zoledronate) is a bisphosphonate medicine that alters bone formation and breakdown in the body. This can slow bone loss and may help prevent bone fractures.

Zometa is used to treat high blood levels of calcium caused by cancer (also called hypercalcemia of malignancy). Zometa also treats multiple myeloma (a type of bone marrow cancer) or bone cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body.

The Reclast brand of zoledronic acid is used in men and women to treat or prevent osteoporosis caused by menopause or by taking steroids. Reclast is also used to increase bone mass in men who have osteoporosis, and to treat Paget's disease of bone in men and women.

You should not use Reclast and Zometa at the same time.