Alendronate vs Risedronate: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Alendronate | Risedronate | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | – |
| Brand names | Alendronate Sodium | Risedronate Sodium |
| FAERS reports | 100,301 | 30,905 |
| Serious | 78% | 83% |
| Death outcome | 11,882 | 2,904 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Alendronate | Risedronate | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 4,964 · PRR 446.5 | 763 · PRR 78.7 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Peripheral venous disease | 1,436 · PRR 117.6 | 493 · PRR 95.6 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Fracture delayed union | 439 · PRR 223.6 | 91 · PRR 81.0 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Low turnover osteopathy | 3,765 · PRR 3,302.6 | 517 · PRR 99.3 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Rheumatic fever | 3,184 · PRR 579.4 | 685 · PRR 126.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,998 · PRR 368.1 | 411 · PRR 101.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 1,368 · PRR 494.4 | 489 · PRR 226.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 1,052 · PRR 230.2 | 352 · PRR 143.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 1,035 · PRR 183.0 | 338 · PRR 121.6 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Lupus vulgaris | 797 · PRR 432.8 | 248 · PRR 178.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Granuloma skin | 484 · PRR 297.4 | 137 · PRR 134.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Swollen joint count | 127 · PRR 224.7 | 46 · PRR 156.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Alendronate
- Femur fracture — n=11,361, PRR 120.9 Labeled adverse reaction
Labeled signals distinctive to Risedronate
- None stood out among the strongest labeled signals.
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Alendronate or Risedronate?
Alendronate has 100,301 FAERS reports and Risedronate 30,905. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (78% vs 83%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Alendronate and Risedronate share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, peripheral venous disease, fracture delayed union, low turnover osteopathy, rheumatic fever. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Alendronate or Risedronate safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.