Kansas City women warned: longterm use of Fosamax is linked to fractures and other complications

Osteoporosis is the thinning of bone tissue over time. Women with early stage osteoporosis may not have any symptoms, but in its late stages, women may experience stooped posture, bone pain and fractures with little or no trauma. Hip and spine fractures in elderly women can lead to medical complications and death.

Medications called bisphosphonates are given to women with osteoporosis (or osteopenia, the thinning bones) to strengthen bones and slow down the progression of the disease. In 2008, over 37 million prescriptions were written for bisphosphonates and sales exceeded $3.5 billion. One of the most widely prescribed bisphosphonates is Fosomax, but now there is evidence that taking Fosomax or its generic form alendronate for more than five years may actually cause spontaneous fractures rather than preventing them.

Doctors say that they are seeing an increased risk of broken bones in patients who have been taking Fosomax for more than five years. They believe that extended use of the drug may actually cause bones to become more brittle over time. They are seeing patients who fracture their femurs doing very light exercise such as walking down the stairs. The femur is normally one of the strongest bones in the body, but these broken bones show signs of serious trauma – they look more like injuries sustained in a severe car crash than injuries from a minimal fall.

It is believed that when patients take Fosomax for an extended period of time, they lose their ability to remodel and regenerate bone. The bones become very brittle and fracture easily. Femurs are especially vulnerable because they support the weight of the body.

In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration contacted Merck, the manufacturer of Fosomax, about reports of femur fractures. It took 16 months, but Merck added femur fractures to the list of potential side effects reported by patients that is included in the package insert.However, neither the FDA nor Merck have made an attempt to educate doctors and patients about the increased risk of fractures in patients who have been taking the drug long term.

Fosomax has also been linked to an increased risk of irregular heart beat or atrial fibrillation, severe musculoskeletal pain, as well as a serious bone-related jaw disease called osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in which the bone dies, and the patient experiences severe and debilitating pain.

Patients who are taking Fosomax should check with their doctors if they have experienced any of the potentially dangerous side effects of the drug.

If you have experienced shattered bones, a broken femur, osteonecrosis of the jaw, or other health complications after long term treatment with Fosomax or Alendronate, you have the right to file a legal claim for your medical costs, pain and suffering and other losses. Contact the Kansas City personal injury attorneys at the Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys. The initial consultation is always free, so learn more about how we can help you and other victims of dangerous prescription drugs.

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Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys
1102 Grand Blvd., Ste 1901
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-471-5111
Toll Free: 888-348-2616
Get Directions

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