Details

Alendronate is in the group of medicines called bisphosphonates. It alters the cycle of bone formation and breakdown in the body. Alendronate slows bone loss while increasing bone mass, which may prevent bone fractures. Alendronate is used in men and women to treat or prevent osteoporosis that is caused by menopause or by taking steroids. Alendronate is also used to increase bone mass in men who have osteoporosis, and to treat Paget's disease of bone in men and women. You should not take alendronate if you are allergic to it, or if you have low levels of calcium in your blood (hypocalcaemia), or a problem with the movement of muscles in your oesophagus.

Typical Uses

Alendronate is used to prevent and treat certain types of bone loss (osteoporosis) in adults. Osteoporosis causes bones to become thinner and break more easily. Your chance of developing osteoporosis increases as you age, after menopause, or if you are taking corticosteroid medications (such as prednisone) for a long time.

Side Effects

Some of the side effects of Alendronate in women include abdominal pain, nausea, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence, acid regurgitation oesophageal ulcer, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing and stomach inflammation, bone, muscle/joint pain, muscle cramp and osteonecrosis of the jaw, headache and dizziness, taste perversion. Some of the side effects of Alendronate in men include acid regurgitation, flatulence, heart burn, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and nausea, hypersensitivity reactions, muscle pain, uneasiness, weakness and rarely fever, dizziness and fainting, rash (occasionally with photosensitivity), itching, hair loss, rarely severe skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, eye inflammation.

Drug Interactions

• Alendronate+deferasirox- If you take a medication like alendronate by mouth, combining it with deferasirox may increase your risk of developing gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop severe abdominal pain, bloating, sudden dizziness or light-headedness, nausea, vomiting (especially with blood), loss of appetite, and black, tarry stools.

Mechanism of action

Alendronate works by slowing bone loss. This effect helps maintain strong bones and reduce the risk of broken bones (fractures). Alendronate belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates.

Pregnancy Category : C