An Unknown Side Effect of Zoledronic Acid: Acute Pancreatitis

Bisphosphonates are widely used to treat several clinical conditions. Zoledronic acid is one of these classes, commonly used for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, hypercalcemia of malignancy, Paget’s disease, and multiple myeloma. Side effects associated with zoledronic acid include fever, fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia, nausea, and bone pain. Liver damage caused by bisphosphonate is rare. No cases of acute pancreatitis have been described in the literature. We describe a 74-year-old woman who presented with features of acute pancreatitis 3 days following the first dose of intravenous zoledronic acid infusion administered to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. Supportive treatment was given for 5 days. She was discharged without any problems.