Know The Warning Signs Of Fosamax Adverse Effects
Fosamax Femur Fracture Lawyers
When repercussion struck Fosamax in the form of adverse reactions, the drug has been placed in the bad light ever since. Consequently, people seek for a possible alternative to Fosamax like calcitonin-salmon. Finding out the early signs of these adversities is hugely significant to the prevention of such complications from getting worse.
Fosamax is a classified bisphosphonate which improves bone mineral density by increasing bone formation while suppressing bone resorption or breakdown. Drugs in this classification are commonly prescribed to prevent or treat bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteitis deformans (Paget’s disease) as well as bone metastases, multiple myeloma, primary hyperparathyroidism and osteogenesis imperfecta. Yet, these drugs have earned notoriety for yielding unwarranted effects like osteonecrosis of the jaw bone (ONJ) and atypical thigh bone fractures.
Osteonecrosis of the jawbone (ONJ). ONJ is an unusual but severe dental problem where a portion of the jawbone is revealed and does not heal because of the absence of blood supply which ultimately causes the bone tissue to die. There is no diagnostic exam that detects ONJ – it is only diagnosed when a jawbone is exposed which lasts for more than 8 weeks. Symptoms usually present in ONJ include pain or discomfort which may due to an infection, swelling of soft tissue, drainage or exposure of the bone.
To reduce the risk of ONJ, good oral hygiene with regular dental care should be observed by the patient. Added to that, tell your dentist that you are currently taking Fosamax or other bisphosphonates before embarking on a dental procedure, even if it’s just a minor procedure. On the other hand, patients who have not started their bisphosphonate therapy are suggested to wait until any immediate dental procedure is finished – even if the procedure is just minor.
Atypical fracture of the femur. On October 13, 2010, the US Food and Drug Administration advised the addition of 2 atypical femur fractures on the label warnings of bisphosphonates which include Fosamax. Large studies have revealed that the use of such drugs over a long course may cause such fracture on the thigh bone. Even so, the FDA said that the cases are very rare and the benefits of the drugs and still the benefits outweigh the risks involved.
The FDA also suggested to physicians that a temporary halt might be important once the patient feels symptoms like significant dull, aching pain in the thigh or groin. In addition to that, some health care providers prefer letting the patients take the drug for a duration of 4 years or less. After all, the goal of treating osteoporosis is the prevention of the occurrence of fractures and certainly dealing with Fosamax femur fracture will not make it right.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphosphonate
http://www.boneandcancerfoundation.org/pdfs/osteonecrosis.pdf
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/730388
http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/onj.asp
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