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Fosamax is Associated With a Rare Femur Fracture:

Fosamax is a prescription drug that is a member of the bisphosphonate class of drugs. This drug is used to treat osteoporosis by changing the cycle of bone resorption and bone formation. Essentially, bone loss is decreased hence allowing for overall bone mass increase. Ultimately, this may help to prevent bone fractures. This drug is used to treat men and women as well as individuals who have Pagets disease.

When you have bone loss this tends to make bones brittle and increase the potential for fractures which have difficulty in healing and can greatly lower the quality of life. Individuals of Asian and Caucasian descent have a greater risk of experiencing osteoporosis as well as individuals who have this disease running in the family. If you are in a high risk category, you should be tested on a regular basis for osteoporotic development.

Medical and scientific reports have indicated that long-term use of Fosamax may be associated with an unusual femur fracture. These rare thigh bone fractures occurring from a standing height or less, meaning that they were low-energy fractures. The femur fracture was observed to be in a transverse direction relative to the vertical which is rarely seen under normal conditions. Individuals who had these fractures were reported to be on Fosamax therapy for five or more years.

There are several theories on how Fosamax could be related to these rare fractures. One theory involves the idea that Fosamax slows down the production of collagen. Collagen is a protein in the bone matrix that is responsible for tensile strength. What that means is that collagen allows bone to be flexible under various loads in many directions. The second theory involves the idea that there is a slower bone turnover allowing for microdamage to occur making the bone more susceptible to fracture for some women. Microdamage is when areas of bone form cracks and leaves open spaces creating a less dense bone. It has been suggested that women taking Fosamax should consider taking a rest from Fosamax therapy for about a year if they have been on this drug for a long time.

Other Side Effects of Fosamax:

Fosamax has not only been associated with a rare femur fracture in a subpopulation of patients but has a number of other side effects. Other Fosamax side effects include chest pain, atrial fibrillation, difficulty swallowing, heart burn, joint and/or muscle pain, dizziness, weakness and headache. An uncommon side effect of Fosamax involves osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). This involves bone loss of the jaw. Certain patients are susceptible to this side effect if they have had cancer or have preexisting dental problems or have dental surgery while taking Fosamax.

Early in 2010, the FDA issued an alert to healthcare providers about the potential for severe bone pain, atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart beat) in some patients. The FDA is cautioning doctors to monitor patients more closely for various Fosamax side effects.

If you have experienced a heart complication, bone necrosis of the jaw, femur fracture, or any other Fosamax side effects while on Fosamax therapy you may be entitled to financial compensation. Fosamax lawsuits are currently being filed across the country.






Author Bio.

Susan Ardizzoni, Ph.D. holds a Doctorate in Biology with a major in Neuroscience (medical) and minors in Biochemistry, Physics, and Mathematics with experience in basic and clinical research. Although the author is not an attorney, this article was sponsored by the law firm of Bernstein Liebhard LLP and constitutes Attorney Advertising. To learn more about Femur fracture or Fosamax side effects please visit www.ConsumerInjuryLawyers.com