Better Drug Emerges for Steroid-Induced Bone Loss Oct 31, 2009
Teriparatide outperforms alendronate for type of osteoporosis, study finds ... THURSDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- The drug teriparatide is better at increasing bone density and reducing vertebral fractures in patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis than the drug alendronate, a new study finds ... For the study, 150 patients were randomly assigned to receive 20 micrograms a day of injectable teriparatide plus oral placebo, and 144 patients received 10 milligrams a day of oral... (MEDLINEplus)
Teriparatide outperforms alendronate in treating steroid-induced osteoporosis Oct 29, 2009
Researchers found patients with glucocorticoid-induced OP who were treated with teriparatide for 36 months had a greater increase in bone mineral density (BMD) and fewer new vertebral fractures than those treated with alendronate ... Study participants were randomly assigned to receive injectable teriparatide (20 g/day) plus oral placebo (150 subjects) or oral alendronate (10 mg/day) plus injectable placebo (144 subjects) ... 3% in the alendronate group. (EurekAlert!)
Treating Bone Loss In Breast Cancer Survivors: Cancer Drugs Aren't The Only Culprits Sep 22, 2009
In certain breast cancer patients, bone loss from cancer drugs can be treated with osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates, such as alendronate sodium (Fosamax) and ibandronate sodium (Boniva). Camacho and colleagues reviewed charts of 81 consecutive breast cancer patients who were referred to Loyola's Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center for treatment or prevention of osteoporosis. (Science Daily)
Killing Cancer Like A Vampire Slayer: New Drug Cuts Off Blood Supplies To Starve Cancer Tumors Sep 19, 2009
Then, programmed to find the tumor using the bisphosphonate drug Alendronate, a drug that binds to bones, the carrier delivers its cancer-killing payload. In animal models, Dr. Satchi-Fainaro found that she was able to reverse the growth of bone cancer tumors. (Science Daily)
Data Show Medication Adherence is an Important Factor in the Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Sep 14, 2009
The two analyses used medical and pharmacy claims from 32,573 women who initiated treatment on alendronate, risedronate, teriparatide, ibandronate or raloxifene in a large U.S. health plan. One analysis showed that patients with low adherence had a 20. (PR Newswire)
What do Bone Density Test Results M... Sep 13, 2009
Once a patient has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, they are often treated with medications such as alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel) or teriparatide (). DXA Bone Density Test. (Suite101.com)
Experimental Drug Helps Treat Osteoporosis Aug 12, 2009
Among these patients, the study suggests, the experimental compound would be slightly more effective at reducing fractures than the bisphosphonate drugs Fosamax (alendronate) and Boniva (ibandronate), but no better than Reclast (zoledronic acid), the once-a-year solution that doctors administer intravenously. "How much impact this would have on patient care remains to be seen," says Dr. Sundeep Khosla, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, who wrote an editorial accompanying the two... (Time.com)
Broken Bones Heal Faster With Drugs Jul 17, 2009
25, 2008) Giving 10mg per day of the bisphosphate drug alendronate to women after their menopause can help prevent loss of bone mass, reducing their risk of fractures, a Cochrane Review has found. This finding. (Science Daily)
Bone Therapy May Not Always Need Monitoring Jun 26, 2009
In the study, Australian researchers analyzed data from a large randomized trial that compared the effects of the drug alendronate (a widely used bisphosphonate) in more than 6,000 postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density, which is a risk factor for fractures. The women's bone density was measured at the start of the study and again one, two and three years later. (MEDLINEplus)
'Implausible' Chemistry Produces Herbicidal Compound Jun 19, 2009
This class of compounds includes the herbicide glyphosate, the osteoporosis treatment alendronate, the antimalarial drug fosmidomycin and the antibiotics fosfomycin, dehydrophos and plumbemycin. Whether man-made or naturally produced, phosphonates and phosphinates are structurally similar to other compounds used by enzymes in nature. (Science Daily)
Health Canada approves Canada's first and only once-a-month treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis Jun 1, 2009
(6) Silverman SL, Watts NB, Delmas PD, Lange JL, Lindsay R. Effectiveness of bisphosphonates on nonvertebral and hip fractures in the first year of therapy: the risedronate and alendronate (REAL) cohort study. Osteoporos Int 2007; 18(1): 25-34. (Canada Newswire)
Osteoporosis Drugs Might Not Raise Cancer Risk Apr 28, 2009
This is in contrast to news earlier this year that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had received reports of 23 patients taking the oral bisphosphonate Fosamax (alendronate), who had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. Bisphosphonates have come under scrutiny in recent years for a variety of other possible problems, including an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (a type of abnormal heart rhythm), unusual fractures of the thigh bone, jaw necrosis and inflammatory eye disease. (MEDLINEplus)
Giant Osteoclast Formation and Long-Term Oral Bisphosphonate Therapy Apr 16, 2009
In addition to their presence in men who received alendronate, giant osteoclasts were observed when other nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates, such as risedronate and pamidronate, were administered. All these agents appeared to be associated with cytoskeletal disruption. (New England Journal of Medicine)
What should I consider before having uterus, ovaries removed? Apr 9, 2009
Some women will need treatment or a preventive strategy using bisphosphonates such as pamidronate (Aredia), ibandronate (Boniva), alendronate (Fosamax) or zoledronic acid (Reclast). Vaginal dryness, if a problem, can be treated with various creams. (CNN -- Health)
Smokers' Lung Treatment May Fail to Fire Up Bidders as Nycomed Seeks Buyer Apr 9, 2009
In January, it purchased a license to sell an effervescent version of the Alendronate osteoporosis treatment from Florida-based EffRx Inc.. Nycomed is testing buyer interest amid a wave of takeovers sweeping through the industry. (Bloomberg -- Europe)
How Sally Field Is Driving Up the Cost of Your Health Insurance Feb 28, 2009
They charge $133 for a month's dose of Boniva and $49 for a month's worth of generic medication alendronate sodium. The only advantage Boniva offers is that she could take only one pill each month instead of four. (Slate)
NHS watchdog ordered to rethink restriction of osteoporosis drug Feb 20, 2009
Under Nice guidelines, doctors can only prescribe the cheapest drug alendronate even though it is not tolerated by one in four women. Such women must wait up to five years until their condition worsens by up to 60 per cent before they are allowed alternative medication, such as the drug strontium ranelate. (Daily Mail)
Attention to Bones Important in Women with Lupus Feb 7, 2009
Yeap's team assessed changes over 2 years in bone mineral density (BMD) in 98 premenopausal women with SLE on long-term steroid therapy while taking calcium only, calcium plus calcitriol (the active form of vitamin D) or calcium plus the bone-strengthening drug alendronate (Fosamax). Women taking calcium plus alendronate saw significant increases in BMD at both the lumbar spine (2. (MEDLINEplus)
Osteoporosis Drug Prompts Increase in Certain Bone Cells Feb 7, 2009
A second paper in the journal -- a letter to the editor from U.S. Food and Drug Administration epidemiologist Diane K. Wysowski -- noted an increase in the number of reports of esophageal cancer among people taking Fosamax (alendronate) ... " The prescribing information for Fosamax, made by Merck said that people with "certain disorders of the esophagus" should not use the drug. In a news release, Merck said that "clinical trials of Fosamax and post-marketing reports do not suggest any... (MEDLINEplus)
Study Links Osteoporosis Drugs to Jaw Trouble Feb 7, 2009
Fosamax (alendronate) is the most widely prescribed oral bisphosphonate and has been the 21st most prescribed drug in the United States since 2006, according to background information in the study ... According to a statement released by Merck which makes Fosamax, the new study "has material methodological flaws and scientific limitations, making it unreliable as a source for valid scientific conclusions regarding the prevalence of ONJ in patients taking alendronate.". (MEDLINEplus)
