Fosamax, Reclast side effects

Fosamax, Reclast side effects. These two bisphonsophonate drugs have been associated with side effeccts of artial fibrillation. Recent articles in New England Journal of Medicine suggest a possible link between these two bisphosphonates and irregular heart rhythms in women.

Fosamax, manufactured by Merck & Co., has been on the market for several years. It is usually taken in pill form on a daily or weekly basis. Reclast is a drug made by Novartis AG. It is given once a year through an intravenous infusion that last 15 minutes.Researchers expressed some surprise at the association with heart arrhythmia. Most said that the risk is small. But the safety issue is of some concern since atrial fibrillation can be a cause of stroke.

Dr. Steven Cummings of California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute who was involved in studies of both Reclast and Fosamx said: . "For the first time, there may be a side effect," Until now, people have assumed Fosamax "was completely safe and could be given to almost anybody."

Fosamax is now used by an estimated 1.8 million American women. In his may 2007 letter to the medical journal, Cummings said that evidence of the heart problem was found during a recent review of a 1997 Merck-sponsored study of postmenopausal women on Fosamax! There appeared to be 50 percent more risk of the serious heart rhythm in women who took the daily pill of Fosamax than among those who didn't take it.

Some researchers were saying that these results might not have significance at all – that they could be a ‘statistical fluke’ and the increase in atrial fibrillation could be the result of aging or some other condition. Earlier studies had not indicated this possible side effect.

Women who are on the drug and have some concerns should speak with their health care providers about those concerns and not just discontinue the drug on their own.

Researchers note that additional studies of these two drugs need to be made. There is no knowledge if any of the other bisphosphonates might show like results.

As always I shall keep abreast of the studies of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis medications and I add new material to this web site on a regular basis.

Be sure to book mark this site so you can come back and keep up with the latest news.

Also you can recieve my newsletter, Osteopenia Updates at no charge. It is sent out at least once a month. If there is " breaking news" or I find new studies, it will be delivered twice a month. To subscribe go to: Osteopenia Newsletter

To read more about these drugs go to: Reclast, Zolendronic acid

or to Fosamax