Fosamax Precautions and Contraindications

A patient may prescribed with medications that a doctor may find best suitable for his or her medical needs, medical experts say. As these formulations may improve, treat, if not cure certain illnesses, they may also have less favorable effects on other bodily areas or systems. While either approved branded or generic drugs may have undergone regulated clinical trials, they may still incur potential side effects and contraindications. When an adverse effect occurs, however, patients who may have taken the branded form of alendronate (Fosamax) may have the upper hand in legal terms, as Fosamax MDL court ruling a blow to generic Fosamax users cases. A contraindication is a specific condition or factor intended for patients with higher risks for complications, which renders the administration of a drug, or carrying out of a medical procedure inadvisable, according to medical journals. It may either be relative, which may allow special precautions and measures to be possibly undertaken provided that the risks are outweighed by the benefits or mitigated by other considerations. It may also absolute, a contraindication that may not be overturned by any reasonable circumstances or considerations as it may turn out into to a life-threatening situation. As Fosamax is known to cause gastrointestinal irritation and ulcers of the esophagus, patients who may have the inability to sit or stand, like those who may have been confined to bedrest, and have esophagus abnormalities, are not advised to take Fosamax. Fosamax has been classified as a Category C prescription medication by the United States Food and Drug Administration, which demonstrates adverse effects on animal fetuses in controlled trials. A medication rated as Category C should not be prescribed to pregnant women unless the benefits outweigh the potential risks to the fetus. The use of Fosamax in patients with hypocalcemia, a condition characterized by insufficient calcium levels in the blood, is another contraindication of Fosamax. As bisphosphonates require an adequate amount of calcium in the body in working to increase bone mineral density, a patients calcium levels are to be strictly checked prior to the initiation of alendronate drug therapy. These are some of the common precautions and contraindications of alendronate (Fosamax). While the list may not be comprehensive, health experts encourage patients to discuss any circumstance that may affect the progress of their treatment such as side effects and contraindications. Fosamax has also been known to cause rare, albeit, equally detrimental adverse effects, including femur fractures, additional information featured at the Fosamax Lawsuit Help Center may be of great help. Sources: livestrong.com/article/148975-alendronate-contraindications/ nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002314.htm courses.washington.edu/bonephys/opbis.html drugs.com/disease-interactions/alendronate,fosamax.html medicalcorps.org/pharmacy/PregnancyCategories.htm