Osteoporosis drug and its dangerous side effects

1. Fosamax
Osteoporosis
Drug
with
Dangerous
Side
Effects
By
Dyer,
Garofalo,
Mann
&
Schultz
L.P.A.

2. Osteoporosis
• We
tend
to
think
that
bones
are
a
sort
of
staFc
framework
supporFng
your
body.
• However,
human
bones
are
just
as
dynamic
and
alive
as
your
skin
or
your
heart.
• Human
bones
are
made
of
three
types
of
Fssue:
• Collagen:
• This
protein
creates
a
flexible
framework
over
which
bones
grow
• Calcium-­‐phosphate
mineral
complexes:
• These
make
human
bones
hard
• Living
bone
cells:
• These
cells
help
human
bones
adapt
to
changes
• They
also
remove
and
replace
weak
areas
to
ensure
that
bones
don’t
wear
out.

3. Osteoporosis
(cont.)
• Young
people
create
more
bone
than
they
lose
every
year,
meaning
their
bones
get
denser
and
denser
unFl
their
mid-­‐
twenFes.
• As
we
age,
we
may
lose
more
bone
than
we
create.
That
means
our
bones
are
losing
density.
• Dense
bones
are
strong
and
durable;
less
dense
bones
are
weak
and
prone
to
fracture.
• “Osteoporosis”
is
the
medical
term
for
low
bone
density.
It
means
“porous
bone,”
because
your
bones
become
more
porous
as
you
lose
bone
density.
• According
to
NaFonal
Osteoporosis
FoundaFon,
about
54
million
Americans
have
osteoporosis
and
low
bone
mass.

4. Osteoporosis
(cont.)
• Bone
fractures
due
to
osteoporosis
may
be
very
serious.
• The
fractures
themselves
can
cause
serious
complicaFons,
as
can
the
surgeries
required
to
repair
them.
• The
Harvard
Medical
School
reports
that
only
40%
of
paFents
who
have
suffered
a
hip
fracture
regain
their
independence,
and
almost
25%
die
within
a
year
of
the
fracture.
Image
Credit
and
License

5. What
Causes
Osteoporosis?
• There
are
many
factors
that
may
cause
a
human
body
to
lose
bone,
including:
• Certain
medicaFons
• Medical
condiFons
• Aging
• Certain
autoimmune
disorders
require
treatment
with
steroids,
which
can
decrease
bone
density.
These
include,
but
not
limited
to:
• Lupus
• Celiac
disease
• Inflammatory
bowel
disease
• Rheumatoid
arthriFs
• People
with
diabetes,
thyroid
disorders,
and
imbalanced
hormones
are
at
higher
risk
for
osteoporosis.
• There
are
also
certain
lifestyle
factors
that
contribute
to
decreased
bone
density,
such
as
inacFvity,
smoking,
drinking,
and
consuming
high
levels
of
protein
and
sodium.

6. Osteoporosis
Symptoms
• Osteoporosis
o`en
doesn’t
cause
any
obvious
symptoms
unFl
there’s
a
real
problem.
• Most
people
don’t
even
know
they
have
osteoporosis
unFl
serious
symptoms
arise,
such
as
a
broken
bone
or
a
pronounced
stoop.
• There’s
a
significantly
higher
risk
for
an
osteoporosis
sufferers
to
broke
a
bone,
especially
hip,
thigh,
wrist,
and
rib
bones.
• In
extreme
cases,
merely
bumping
into
something
may
be
enough
to
fracture
brible,
porous
bone.
• You
can
ask
your
doctor
can
perform
a
bone
density
test
to
determine
if
your
bone
density
has
fallen
below
healthy
levels.

7. Paget’s
Disease
• Paget’s
disease
is
a
serious
bone
disorder
that
causes
the
body
to
break
down
bone
Fssue
and
rebuild
it
in
a
disorganized
fashion.
• This
causes
the
bones
to
be
irregularly
shaped
and
o`en
enlarged.
The
rebuilt
bones
are
poorly
constructed
and
typically
weak.
• Paget’s
disease
usually
only
affects
certain
bones
in
the
body,
especially
the
pelvic,
femur,
and
vertebrae.
• Paget’s
disease
may
be
extremely
painful,
although
some
Paget’s
sufferers
are
relaFvely
symptom-­‐free.

8. How
to
Treat
Osteoporosis?
• Osteoporosis
is
most
commonly
treated
with
bisphosphonates.
• In
your
bones,
osteoclasts
are
constantly
destroying
old
bone
Fssue
and
osteoblasts
are
replacing
it.
• Bisphosphonates
help
destroy
osteoclasts
so
that
more
bone
is
created
than
is
destroyed.
• This
slows
or
stops
bone
loss
to
prevent
further
osteoporosis
damage.
Image
credit
and
license

9. Fosamax
• Fosamax
is
one
type
of
bisphosphonate
used
to
treat
osteoporosis.
• The
medicaFon
slows
down
bone
loss
and
also
helps
maintain
strong
bones
and
reduce
the
risk
of
fractures.
• It
is
also
used
to
treat
Paget's
disease
of
bone
in
men
and
women.
• Its
acFve
ingredient
is
alendronic
acid
or
alendronate
sodium.
• Doctors
o`en
prescribed
Fosamax
along
with
Calcium
and
Vitamin
D
supplements
in
order
to
provide
the
body
with
enough
calcium
to
rebuild
bone
mass.
• Fosamax
was
approved
by
the
FDA
in
1995
and
has
been
shown
to
increase
bone
mass
in
96%
of
paFents
and
decrease
the
risk
of
fractures
by
28-­‐55%.

10. Fosamax
Side
Effects
• Some
of
the
serious
side
effects
of
Fosamax
include,
but
are
not
limited
to:
• UlceraFon
of
the
esophagus
• Esophageal
cancer
• Fosamax
may
also
cause
hypocalcemia,
or
low
levels
of
calcium
in
the
blood.
• Low
calcium
levels
can
cause
numbness,
muscle
spasms,
and
cardiac
arrhythmia.
Image
Credit
and
License

11. Fosamax
Side
Effects
(cont.)
• While
Fosamax
is
used
to
treat
osteoporosis,
it
may
actually
cause
serious
bone-­‐related
complicaFons.
• The
FDA
warning
leber
issued
in
2008
stated
that
Fosamax
and
other
bisphosphonates
may
cause
debilitaFng
musculoskeletal
pain
that
may
start
at
any
Fme
a`er
starFng
bisphosphonate
treatment
and
may
not
be
relieved
by
stopping
the
drug.
• Fosamax
may
also
cause
osteonecrosis
of
the
jaw.
• This
is
a
very
serious
bone
disease
in
which
the
gums
form
lesions
that
won’t
heal.
• These
lesions
expose
the
jawbone
and
may
cause
serious
pain.
• They
also
increase
the
risk
for
secondary
infecFons
of
the
open
lesions.
• Serious
cases
require
removal
of
the
affected
jawbone,
although
surgery
is
o`en
unsuccessful
in
paFents
who
developed
osteonecrosis
as
a
result
of
bisphosphonate
treatments.

12. What
if
You
Suffered
Serious
Side
Effects
Due
to
Fosamax?
• Thousands
of
paFents
who
suffered
serious
side
effects
due
to
Fosamax
use
have
filed
suit
against
Merck,
the
maker
of
the
drug.
• PaFents
may
be
enFtled
to
compensaFon
for
the
injuries
they
suffered
as
a
result
of
taking
Fosamax,
including:
• medical
expenses
• lost
wages
• pain
and
suffering
• decreased
quality
of
life
• Contact
an
experienced
local
dangerous
drug
aborney.
• You
may
even
have
a
claim
even
if
you
stopped
taking
Fosamax
before
the
injury
occurred,
because
the
drug
may
stay
in
your
system
for
years.