Fosamax Could Cause Atrial Fibrillation
April 30th, 2008 joshua
Researchers at the University of Washington have linked Fosamax use with a chronically irregular heartbeat, the Web site ScienceDaily.com reports.
Fosamax is manufactured by Merck & Co. and is the most popular osteoporosis drug on the market. Women who take the drug are nearly twice as likely to develop atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) than women who don’t ever take it.
The University of Washington study looked at 700 female patients whose atrial fibrillation was detected during a three-year period, comparing them to a control group of 900 patients matched on age and high blood pressure.
The study found using alendronate increased the risk of atrial defibrillation by 86 percent. Before February alendronate was only available through Merck’s version, Fosamax. Earlier this year the FDA approved the first generic versions of alendronate for sale in the U.S.
Atrial fibrillation has the ability to make blood pool and even clot in the atria of the heart. Women at risk for heart disease or who have a present heart condition should likely reconsider their treatments for an equally as important issue as osteoporosis.
