Fosamax is a medication used to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women due to long-term used of steroid medication, as well as Paget's disease, a medical condition in which the bones are painful and easily deformed. Long-term use of Fosamax may increase the risk of bone loss in the jaw, or decay or death of the bones in the hip, knee or shoulder. Alternatives to Fosamax with less severe side effects include Boniva, Actonel and Reclast.
Boniva
Boniva is taken once monthly as a 150 mg tablet or once daily as 2.5 mg tablet for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. Boniva belongs to the class of drugs known as bisphosphonate, and it inhibits osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, notes CenterWatch. Osteoclasts are a group of bone cells that break down and reabsorb bone cells, and Boniva inhibits this pathway, thereby slowing bone loss and increasing bone mass.
Actonel
Actonel is medication prescribed for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, as well as glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis in men and women due to long-term used of steroid medication, notes Drugs.com. Similar to Boniva, Actonel inhibits osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. By inhibiting the pathway of osteoclast-mediated bone reabsorption, Actonel modulates bone metabolism, slows bone loss, decreases the rate of bone turnover and increases bone density. Actonel can be taken once daily as a 5 mg tablet, weekly as a 35 mg tablet, twice monthly as a 75 mg tablet or once monthly as a 150 mg tablet.
Reclast
Reclast increases bone density and reduces fractures in the hip, spine and other areas. A research study published in the May 3, 2007 issue of the “New England Journal of Medicine,” showed that Reclast reduced the risk of spine fractures by 70 percent and hip fractures by 41 percent in a placebo controlled, double-blind study with 3,889 patients over a 3-year period. Reclast is administered intravenously once a year for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.
