| Fosamax and Femur Fractures: | | | | few years of therapy. With all of these patients, |
| Fosamax, manufactured by Merck, is a prescription | | | | the breaks occurred in the thigh and without any |
| drug used to treat osteoporosis and Padget's disease | | | | trauma. Many of the patients reported experiencing |
| (malformation of bone). Fosamax (generic | | | | some thigh pain just before the femur broke. |
| bisphosphonate) works to slow down or stop bone | | | | Bunning suggests that if you are taking any of the |
| loss by inhibiting resorption of bone and allowing for | | | | bisphosphonate drugs, make sure to see your doctor |
| maintaining bone density or increasing it. Early | | | | right away if something doesn't feel right. |
| reports of Fosamax side effects forced the FDA to | | | | Further Studies Implicate Fosamax with Femur |
| release a letter to physicians to use this drug with | | | | Fractures: |
| caution with some patients. These reports included | | | | Columbia University investigated 111 women taking |
| side effects of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), | | | | bisphosphonates including Fosamax. Their studies |
| esophageal irritation, musculoskeletal pain, and | | | | demonstrated that early on in therapy patients |
| Fosamax femur fractures without any fall or other | | | | showed marked improvement in bone structure but |
| trauma associated with prolonged use. One study in | | | | after long-term use bone structure diminished. |
| 2009 published in the medical journal Clinical | | | | Another study conducted at the Hospital for Special |
| Orthopedics and Related Research, reported four | | | | Surgery in New York looked at samples from 21 |
| women who experienced femoral stress fractures | | | | women who suffered femur fractures. Twelve of |
| while being on Fosamax for more than 5 years. | | | | these patients who had been on bisphosphonates for |
| X-rays showed atypical transverse fracture lines. | | | | 8 ½ years showed reduced bone tissue as |
| These women discontinued use of the drug and one | | | | compared to the other 9 patients who did not take |
| patient healed without surgical treatment while the | | | | bisphosphonates. Also, the Annals of Internal |
| other three required surgical intervention to stabilize | | | | Medicine has reported that bisphosphonates like |
| the femur bone. | | | | Fosamax are more of a bone hardener, not bone |
| A TV news presentation in February 2010 reported | | | | builder. They also state that over time, these drugs |
| "Sudden bone breaks reported in patients taking | | | | can cause bones to become brittle. |
| Fosamax." Observations made by Dr. Robert | | | | On March 2010, the FDA began a safety review of |
| Bunning, of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in | | | | Fosamax to determine whether or not there is an |
| Washington, D.C. were presented. According to Dr. | | | | increase in the risk of bone fractures. The agency is |
| Bunning, these osteoporotic drugs are supposed to | | | | investigating the possible link between Fosamax and |
| slow down bone recycling by turning off | | | | fractures that occur below the hip joint on patients |
| osteoclasts. Osteoclasts, are the cells that break | | | | who have been on bisphosphonates for several |
| down bone when bone is being remodeled. The | | | | years. The FDA suggests that patients who are |
| osteoblasts, bone cells that make bone, are allowed | | | | currently on these drugs should continue therapy but |
| to keep working. However, Bunning reports that | | | | should make sure they talk to their doctors if they |
| biopsies of patients who have had these transverse | | | | develop pain in the thigh or hip. |
| femur fractures shows that both systems are shut | | | | |
| down. Bunning calls it "frozen bone," which is brittle | | | | If you have experienced a Fosamax femur fracture |
| and more susceptible to these types of fractures. | | | | or any other bone related illness while on Fosamax |
| In all of these reported cases, patients had been | | | | you may be entitled to financial compensation. |
| taking Fosamax or another type of bisphosphonate | | | | Fosamax lawsuits are currently being filed across the |
| for more than 5 years. Bunning believes that this | | | | country. |
| drug does make bones stronger at least for the first | | | | |