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Search Term: alendronate (BINOSTO, FOSAMAX)

Drug Profiles \| Disease and Drug Family Information \| Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles

Drug and Dietary Supplement Profiles

A comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of this drug. If the drug is not a Do Not Use product, information on adverse effects, drug interactions and how to use the medication are included.

Search results below include drug profiles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

teriparatide (FORTEO)
We list this drug as a Do Not Use drug because it has not been shown to reduce fractures in men and caused bone cancer in animal studies.
esomeprazole (NEXIUM, NEXIUM 24HR); lansoprazole (PREVACID, PREVACID 24HR); omeprazole (PRILOSEC, PRILOSEC OTC); pantoprazole (PROTONIX); rabeprazole (ACIPHEX)

Disease and Drug Family Information

Search results below include Disease and Drug Family Information where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

Ulcers and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) [hide all summaries]
There are nondrug treatments, with no safety concerns, and less expensive drugs that may be effective for GERD; these should be tried before you use any drugs for heartburn. First, try to avoid foods that trigger your condition (e.g., fatty foods, onions, caffeine, peppermint, and chocolate), and avoid alcohol, smoking, and tight clothing. Second, avoid food, and particularly alcohol, within two or three hours of bedtime. Third, elevate the head of the bed about six inches or sleep with extra pillows.

Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles

Search results below include Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion

DUAVEE, Hot Flashes and Bone Health [hide all summaries]
(September 2015)
Learn why the new combination of conjugated estrogens plus bazedoxifene (DUAVEE) is a bad choice for treating hot flashes and improving bone health in menopausal women.
New Warnings for Bone Drug Denosumab (PROLIA) [hide all summaries]
(November 2014)
Learn about new warnings recently issued by the FDA about the bone drug denosumab, a medicine previously designated as Do Not Use by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group.
Hormone Replacement Therapy: Use at the Lowest Dose for the Shortest Amount of Time [hide all summaries]
(January 2014)
The dangers of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are in direct proportion to the length of time for which they are used. This article discusses strategies for keeping dosage and exposure to a minimum and recommends only using HRT for debilitating hot flash symptoms. Nondrug remedies for milder symptoms also are discussed.
Avoiding Overuse of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) [hide all summaries]
(March 2008)
This article reviews evidence for the international epidemic of overuse of proton pump inhibitors (PPI), drugs used to treat ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). There were 70 million prescriptions filled in U.S. pharmacies in 2006 for the four leading PPI drugs: esomeprazole (NEXIUM), lansoprazole (PREVACID), pantoprazole (PROTONIX) and rabeprazole (ACIPHIX). Find out about several serious side effects of these drugs such as increased community-acquired pneumonia, increased hip fractures and acute kidney inflammation. Learn about alternatives to using PPIs.
Don't Get Sold By Drug Ads on TV, Says Study [hide all summaries]
(May 2007)
Not only does this study find that consumer drug ads are not educational, it also says that the ads may oversell the benefits of the drugs and could put the public health in danger. For example, of the 24 drugs included in this advertising study, seven are listed as Do Not Use in Worst Pills, Best Pills publications. You should not rely on direct-to-consumer television advertisements as a source of drug information.
A Review of Ibandronate (BONIVA) For Osteoporosis [hide all summaries]
(October 2006)
Although this osteoporosis drug has been shown to decrease vertebral fractures, which involve the bones that make up the spine, the drug did not show any decrease in nonvertebral fractures, such as hip fractures, in postmenopausal women. We know more about the older, alternative drugs for osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Urinary Incontinence [hide all summaries]
(January 2006)
If you are considering starting HRT (hormone replacement therapy), the possibility of experiencing urinary incontinence should be taken into account along with its other potential harms, which are outlined in the black box warning accompanying this article.
REMINDER —The Heartburn Drug Metoclopramide (REGLAN) Can Cause Drug-Induced Movement Disorders [hide all summaries]
(May 2005)
The use of the heartburn drug metoclopramide (REGLAN) is increasing and that this fact may result in more cases of drug-induced movement disorders from metoclopramide (Reglan)that in some cases mimic Parkinson. If you or a family member are taking metoclopramide and uncontrollable movements develop, contact the prescribing physician immediately.
Cutting Your Drug Bill While Reducing Your Risk Of Avoidable Adverse Drug Reactions: Six Examples [hide all summaries]
(February 2005)
This article will look at the potential savings for the individual consumer if the alternative treatments recommended in Worst Pills, Best Pills were used for six DO NOT USE drugs. All six are listed in the Drug Topics Magazine Top 200 selling drugs in U.S. in 2003. The drugs are: celecoxib (CELEBREX) used for arthritis and pain; the Alzheimer’s disease drug donepezil (ARICEPT); drospirenone with ethinyl estradiol (YASMIN 28), an oral contraceptive; esomeprazole (NEXIUM) the “new purple pill” for heartburn; montelukast (SINGULAIR), a drug approved for both asthma and hay fever; and valdecoxib (BEXTRA), an arthritis drug very similar to celecoxib.The combined sales of these six DO NOT USE drugs was $8.1 billion with more that 75 million prescriptions dispensed in 2003.
Over-The-Counter Omeprazole (PRILOSEC OTC) — There Are Better Choices For Heartburn [hide all summaries]
(October 2003)
You should try the non-pharmacologic interventions listed in the box below before trying antacids, histamine-2 blockers, or, as a last resort, proton pump inhibitors. If you classify yourself as a person with frequent heartburn, that is heartburn more than two days per week, and the interventions recommended above have failed, you should be under the care of a physician
DO NOT USE! Teriparatide (FORTEO) — A New Drug For Osteoporosis [hide all summaries]
(April 2003)
Teriparatide should not be used by men. Clearly, without evidence that teriparatide reduces fracture, the possibility of osteosarcoma outweighs any theoretical benefit of the drug. Our recommendation for women is the same, but for different reasons. There is evidence of reduced fracture risk in both vertebral and non-vertebral locations; however, the absolute risk of vertebral fracture reductions is not large and many vertebral fractures are asymptomatic. Finally, alendronate appears to offer a comparable level of protection without the concerns of osteosarcoma.

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