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Adverse reactions
Common adverse events considered to be drug-related were hot flashes and leg cramps.[4]
Raloxifene may infrequently cause serious blood clots to form in the legs, lungs, or eyes. Other reactions experienced include leg swelling/pain, trouble breathing, chest pain, vision changes. Raloxifene is a teratogenic drug, i.e., can cause developmental abnormalities such as birth defects.
Black box warnings were added to the label of raloxifene in 2007 warning of increased risk of death due to stroke for postmenopausal women with documented coronary heart disease or at increased risk for major coronary events, as well as increased risks for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.[4]
A report in September 2009 from Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality suggests that tamoxifen and raloxifene, used to treat breast cancer, significantly reduce invasive breast cancer in midlife and older women, but also increase the risk of adverse side effects.[5]