Afflicting more than 10 million Americans with another 34 million at risk, the remedy for osteoporosis is an essential medical intervention. When the reports about Fosamax and other bisphosphonates causing serious adverse effects arose, the demand for a different medication also skyrockets. A number of studies are also performed including one which aims to determine whether eating dried plums can replace Fosamax against osteoporosis.
Despite having bisphosphonates as the most widely recommended remedy, a number of alternative options are also invented to manage this brittle bone disease in cases where your health disallows the use of the said drug. Other medicinal therapies in line chiefly deal with replacing certain hormones in the body. These substitute medicaments are also becoming popular in reversing the effects of osteoporosis on the bones.
Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Before the advent of bisphosphonates in medical science, HRT is the most widely recommended treatment for osteoporosis. Women, particularly those who have passed menopause, are often prescribed with either estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin, which are known to prevent bone resorption and diminish the risk of fracture. Unfortunately, a study in July 2002 become the turning point of events as it revealed the significant increase of risk of morbid diseases such as breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke in some women.
Evista (raloxifene)
Evista is a drug under selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) class which acts like an estrogen on the bones but acts otherwise on the uterus and the breasts. Unlike HRT, raloxifene does not increase one’s risk of breast cancers. Although this medicine could increase the clot formation in the veins and in the lungs.
Protelos (strontium ranelate)
In the constant bone remodeling cycle, strontium ranelate functions by preventing the loss of calcium from the bones during bone resorption while stimulating the formation of new bones which is done by bone cells known as osteoblasts. This drug is often prescribed to menopausal women suffering from osteoporosis. Unfortunately, this drug is only sold in Europe and is yet to be permitted by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.
While there are several pharmaceutical interventions available for treating osteoporosis, it is best to confer with your doctor to find out the treatment that fits your condition. Combating osteoporosis does not primarily depend on bisphosphonates like Fosamax. Therefore, it will be unnecessary to situate yourself in a great danger of incurring Fosamax adverse effects which are now becoming the basis of people filing a Fosamax lawsuit against Merck – the drug maker.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raloxifene
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000762.html
http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteoporosis-treatments
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