Fosamax Linked to Heart Problems

May 2007

Fosamax, a leading osteoporosis drug, has been connected to problems with irregular heart rhythm. Along with Reclast, another bone-building drug, atrial fibrillation developed much higher in test groups that took the medications.

Fosamax is a prescription drug taken daily by postmenopausal women at risk of bone degeneration. By reanalyzing a study made by manufacturer Merck, researchers determined that Fosamax posed a 50 percent greater risk for women to develop atrial fibrillation than those who did not take the drug.

Reclast, an annual intravenous drug used to combat the bone condition known as Paget’s disease, proved even more dangerous. A study funded by manufacturer Novartis showed that the risk of developing irregular heart rhythms was 150 percent greater in patients taking Reclast.

Fosamax is also linked to osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a rare but serious disease that causes the jaw bone to die. Patients with osteonecrosis of the jaw, also known as Dead Jaw, suffer extreme pain that can often lead to exposed bone in the mouth.