抗骨折結果沒下巴！ 骨鬆用藥有害

抗骨折結果沒下巴！　骨鬆用藥有害

2009/12/19  潘彥瑞

骨質疏鬆是婦女常見疾病，國內經常使用含有「雙磷酸鹽」成分的藥物治療，這2年部分服藥患者在拔牙後，又發生傷口無法癒合，甚至下顎壞死的嚴重狀況，研究結果顯示，這些是使用「雙磷酸鹽」藥物的副作用，但多數骨質疏鬆患者，在用藥的時候，都沒被醫師告知，婦女團體特別呼籲民眾應該注意。

國內有50萬名骨質疏鬆患者，服用「雙磷酸鹽」類藥物，最近幾年發現，有部分病患一拔牙，傷口變得無法癒合，還化膿潰爛，甚至造成下巴顎骨壞死，這麼恐怖的副作用，用藥病患卻近乎一無所知。台灣女人連線秘書長李宛芬：「它在服藥的時候呢，它服用的時候，你要站立服藥，因為它有可能會造成你食道的阻塞，它隻有告訴我們婦女這樣的資訊。」

衛署藥政處科長王兆儀：「相關的警訊，發給相關的醫療專員、醫業團體，像是醫師啦，這些醫療照護人員，提醒他們。」衛生署認為發函和網站公佈，已經盡到宣導責任，醫師有沒有告訴病患，全憑自己良心，婦女團體和立委開記者會說明，不知道效果如何，口腔醫師建議用藥患者，拔牙要注意。台大口腔外科醫師李正喆：「非吃不可的話，它就是在使用前、使用中，一定要到牙科醫師處，做一個口腔的檢查，有病的話及早發現，或是做一個預防性的處置。」

醫師說口服「雙磷酸鹽」造成顎骨壞死的比例，高過靜脈注射很多，研究雖然還不完整，但已經值得骨質疏鬆病患提高警覺。(請民眾認清楚，這個藥的英文名稱是Forsamax，如果有錯，還請更正)

[yesterday01]

Fosamax, one of the bisphosphonates 「雙磷酸鹽」manufactured by Merck & Co., was recently shown, in a study conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to carry with it a higher incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw or ONJ than other bisphosphonates. There is also evidence to suggest that Merck may have failed to promptly update its Fosamax label to report the danger, thereby causing millions of users to be at an unnecessary risk of developing the condition.

The concern with these medications and Fosamax in particular lies in the huge number of women taking these medications. Over 36 million women are taking them to prevent or slow osteoporosis. The number of women who use bisphosphonates has increased dramatically in recent years.

In the past, women relied on hormone replacement therapy to keep their bones healthy after menopause. But since recent studies linked estrogen with increased risk of heart disease and breast cancer, more women are taking Fosamax and other bisphosphonates at a younger age. Since these women use the medications for much longer time spans, they are at an increased risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw or ONJ.

[yesterday01]

First Fosamax lawsuit Starts Aug 11,2009

The first of Fosamax jaw damage lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial on Aug 11,2009 in a Manhattan federal courtroom. According to Bloomberg.com, the Fosamax lawsuit is the first of three so-called bellwether cases, the outcomes of which may determine if there will be out-of-court settlements in other cases.

The first Fosamax lawsuit slated for trial involves a 71-year-old Florida woman who claims to have suffered dental and jaw problems as a consequence of taking Fosamax from 1997 to 2006, Reuters said. According to the Reuters report, two other Fosamax lawsuits are scheduled to go to trial later this year, one in federal court and another in a state court in Alabama.

[yesterday01]

See more information about Fosamax:

Generic Name:
Alendronate, Alendronate Sodium

Brand Names:
Fosamax, Fosamax+D

Manufacturer: Merck & Co., Inc.

FDA Approved:
September 29, 1995

Recall/Black Box Warning Information:

In 2004, the FDA ordered Fosamax to include a warning to alert patients of the risk of osteonecrosis (ONJ) of the jaw that is irreversible, as studies have shown a possible link between using Fosamax and developing ONJ. ONJ is a destruction of bone tissue and can lead to infection, jawbone breakdown, ulcerations in the mouth, or osteomyelitis (inflammation of bone marrow).

On January 7, 2008, the FDA released an alert to inform consumers of the possibility of severe or incapacitating bone, joint, and/or muscle pain in patients taking bisphosphonates, including Fosamax and Fosamax+D. The pain may occur within days, months, or years of taking the drugs.

According to studies in April of 2008, Fosamax may be linked to an increased risk of serious atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) in women.