Raloxifene (Evista): Label Uses, Warnings, Half-Life
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Raloxifene: label uses, boxed warning and half-life

Tablet strengths · Approval status · Half-life ~27.7 hours (32.5 hours with daily use)

Short answer: Raloxifene has a half-life of about 27.7 hours (32.5 hours with daily use). People vary, so treat these as estimates.

What is raloxifene?

Raloxifene is an estrogen agonist/antagonist (a SERM): it acts like estrogen on bone but blocks estrogen in breast and uterine tissue. It is sold as Evista (Eli Lilly) and as generic tablets, taken once a day by women after menopause.

Also known as: Evista, raloxifene hydrochloride.

Tablet strengths

Evista comes as a 60 mg tablet, taken once a day at any time, with or without food.

Approval status and how it is used

The Evista label approves raloxifene to treat and prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause, and to lower the risk of invasive breast cancer in women after menopause who have osteoporosis or are at high risk of invasive breast cancer. It is not approved to treat breast cancer or to lower the risk of noninvasive breast cancer. Label dosing is 60 mg once a day, with calcium and vitamin D if diet falls short. It is stopped at least 72 hours before long immobilization, such as surgery recovery.

Evista has a boxed warning titled "Increased risk of venous thromboembolism and death from stroke": blood clots in the legs and lungs are more likely, and in women with heart disease or at higher heart risk, more died of stroke. It is not used with a current or past blood clot, in pregnancy, or before menopause, and it is not used to prevent heart disease. In the 3-year treatment trial, hot flashes were 9.7% vs 6.4% on placebo and leg cramps 7.0% vs 3.7%. Full numbers are on the Evista side effects, Evista dosing schedule and missed Evista dose pages. Comparisons: Evista vs Fosamax, Evista vs Prolia and Evista vs tamoxifen.

Raloxifene half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeabout 27.7 hours (32.5 hours with daily use)
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

The Evista label says raloxifene and its glucuronide forms convert back and forth and recycle through the gut and liver, which stretches the half-life to 27.7 hours after a single dose (32.5 hours with repeated doses). The label does not give a single time to peak, because that recycling shapes when levels top out.

Numbers shown are taken from the source above. Half-life varies from person to person.

How to track raloxifene in Dose Track

  1. Add raloxifene as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each tablet when you take it, including split or fractional tablets, so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

How Dose Track handles peptides · Reconstitution calculator · Half-life calculator

Tamoxifen CitrateNolvadex, Soltamox · half-life about 6 days OspemifeneOsphena · half-life about 26 hours AlendronateFosamax, alendronate sodium · half-life more than 10 years (in bone) DenosumabProlia · half-life about 25.4 days

Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of raloxifene?+
The Evista label says raloxifene and its glucuronide forms convert back and forth and recycle through the gut and liver, which stretches the half-life to 27.7 hours after a single dose (32.5 hours with repeated doses). The label does not give a single time to peak, because that recycling shapes when levels top out.
Is raloxifene a hormone?+
No. It is an estrogen agonist/antagonist: it acts like estrogen on bone but blocks it in the breast and uterus. The Evista label says it is not recommended with systemic estrogen therapy.
Why is Evista stopped before surgery?+
Because it raises the risk of blood clots. The label says to stop it at least 72 hours before and during long immobilization and restart only once fully walking.
Can I track raloxifene in Dose Track?+
Yes. Raloxifene is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each tablet next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. Evista (raloxifene hydrochloride) tablets prescribing information (Eli Lilly), boxed warning and sections 1, 2, 5, 6 and 12.3. DailyMed, September 2026.

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