The International Osteoporosis Foundation reports that 1.4 million Canadians suffer from osteoporosis, a medical condition that causes the bones to lose density eventually becoming weak and brittle. Osteoporosis is most common in women who have undergone menopause. There are a number of medicines meant to slow the effects of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. In Canada and Australia, one such drug is aclasta, which patients receive through injections. Despite its effectiveness, aclasta or zolendronic acid is not for everyone as it presents several risks for side effects and complications in some patients.
Common Side Effects
Approximately 55 percent of patients who receive aclasta injections report bone pain, making this the most common side effect of the drug. Fever and nausea are also common, occurring in at least 44 percent of users. More than 20 percent of women who take aclasta experience fatigue, weakness, diarrhea, muscle and joint pain, shortness of breath, cough, anemia and loss of appetite.
Other Side Effects
Aclasta also has the potential to cause a number of other troublesome or annoying, but not dangerous, side effects. Musculoskeletal side effects of aclasta include pain in the back, limbs, shoulders or neck, stiffness and muscle cramps and tremors. Some patients report nervous system effects like headache, dizziness, tingling in the limbs, anxiety, confusion, sleepiness and a change in the way foods taste. Others describe issues affecting the skin, such as hair loss, excessive sweating, inflammation and rashes.
Drug Interactions
There are some medications which produce unwanted side effects when used in conjunction with aclasta. For instance, thalidomide and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have the potential to cause kidney damage or failure when combined with aclasta. When taken with diuretics, aclasta may result in a drop in blood calcium levels that can be life-threatening.
Risks
In addition to minor side effects and the risk of interactions, aclasta has the potential to cause serious medical complications. In some rare instances, aclasta causes osteonecrosis, a condition where your jaw bone dies and begins to collapse. Aclasta has been linked to cardiovascular problems, including extremely slow heartbeat and increased or decreased blood pressure. In addition, aclasta poses the risk of serious eye infections, such as uveitis, episclerosis and scleritis.
Considerations
Aclasta can cause low birth weights or birth defects and typically is avoided during pregnancy. In addition, the drug is not used in children or nursing mothers. In some cases, aclasta causes the the spread of cancer in patients who are unaware they have the disease. Because of the risk for osteonecrosis, you should avoid having invasive dental work, such as having a tooth pulled while taking aclasta.
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