Why is Alendronic Acid necessary? You will learn the answer to this medical question from the materials in this article. In addition, we will tell you how to take this medicine, in which cases it is undesirable to use it, and whether it has side effects. You will also learn about the form in which the drug we are considering is being released, whether it has analogues that patients say about it.
The composition of the drug, its release form and packaging
Alendronic Acid, or the so-called Alendronate, goes on sale in the form of white round tablets. The active substance of this medication is sodium alendronate trihydrate, or alendronic acid.
As for the additional elements, this drug includes the following: monohydrate, povidone, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium and magnesium stearate.
In pharmacies, Alendronova acid can be found in blister packs of 4 tablets each.
Pharmacological properties of the drug
What is Alendronic Acid? The instruction of the drug states that this tool is an inhibitor of bone resorption. The mechanism of action of this medication is associated with a decrease in the activity of osteoclasts. It progressively increases the density (mineral) of bone tissue, and also contributes to its formation.
Pharmacokinetics of the drug
How is alendronic acid absorbed? The instructions for the use of this medication contain information that when taken orally, on an empty stomach (2 hours before breakfast), at a dosage of 70 mg, the bioavailability of the active element in women is about 0.65%, and in representatives of the stronger sex - about 0.6%.
If you take the medicine half an hour or an hour before a meal, then its bioavailability will decrease markedly (to 0.45% and 0.4%, respectively).
Taking the drug 2 hours after a meal does not affect its bioavailability. However, after consuming orange juice and coffee, bioavailability decreases by about 60%.
The binding of the active substance of the drug to blood proteins is approximately 78%.
After taking the medication, it is first distributed to the soft tissues, and then to the bone, where, in fact, it is fixed, and the remains are excreted by the kidneys.
The concentration of the drug in the blood after administration in a therapeutic dose is below the measurement limit (less than 5 ng / ml).
The medication does not undergo biotransformation. It is excreted unchanged from the body. The drug is characterized by a rapid decrease in blood concentration, as well as a very slow release from bone tissue.
Indications for use of tablets
Now you know what alendronic acid is. What is this tool for? According to the attached instructions, this drug has the following indications for use:
- osteoporosis in women of the postmenopausal sex (as a prophylaxis of bone fractures, including the spine and thighs);
- osteoporosis in the stronger sex;
- osteoporosis, which was caused by prolonged use of glucocorticosteroid drugs;
- Paget's disease.
Alendronic Acid: Contraindications
When can not we use the drug we are considering? Instructions for use of the drug states that this drug has the following contraindications:
- hypocalcemia;
- hypersensitivity of the patient to drug substances;
- the inability of patients to be upright (sitting upright or standing) for half an hour;
- severe disturbances in mineral metabolism ;
- severe renal failure;
- severe hypoparathyroidism;
- achalasia or stricture of the esophagus, as well as other conditions that lead to difficulty in moving food through the esophagus;
- glucose-galactose malabsorption, lactase deficiency or lactose intolerance ;
- lactation period;
- calcium malabsorption;
- pregnancy;
- childhood.
Cautious medication
In what cases is Alendronic Acid prescribed with extreme caution? Under the strict supervision of doctors, there should be a category of patients who have any deviations in the digestive tract (for example, ailments such as esophagitis, dysphagia, duodenitis, gastritis, and peptic ulcer of the duodenum and stomach). In addition, the drug should be prescribed with extreme caution to patients with vitamin D deficiency.
Alendronic Acid: instructions for use of the drug
The medication "Alendronate" should be taken only orally in the amount of 1 tablet. In this case, the medicine is not recommended to chew or dissolve. It is taken on an empty stomach, 2 hours before breakfast (at least half an hour before the first meal, water or other medical supplies).
The drug must be washed down with plain water. This is due to the fact that other drinks (for example, mineral water, tea, coffee, orange juice) significantly reduce the absorption of the active substance.
The recommended dosage of the drug is 1 tablet (or 10 mg) inside once a day. In some cases, doctors prescribe a different dose to the patient, which is as follows: 1 tablet (or 70 mg) once a week.
For the treatment of osteoporosis in men and women (in postmenopausal women), as well as osteoporosis, which is caused by prolonged use of glucocorticosteroid drugs, this medication is taken 10 mg per day or 70 mg once a week.
With such an ailment as Paget's disease, the drug we are considering is prescribed in a dosage of 40 mg per day. The duration of therapy is 6 months.
If you accidentally missed taking the drug once a week, then the pill should be taken in the morning of the next day. In this case, it is forbidden to use the medicine in the amount of two tablets once a day.
Drug overdose
What will happen if the patient begins to take an uncontrolled drug such as Alendronic Acid? Drugs of this type have overdose symptoms such as hypophosphatemia, heartburn, hypocalcemia, erosive and ulcerative lesions of the digestive tract, esophagitis, diarrhea.
In the event of the presented effects, the patient should be given whole milk or calcium-containing antacids. This is necessary to bind the medication. Due to the high risk of developing irritation of the esophageal mucosa, vomiting is highly discouraged. In case of an overdose, the patient should only be in an upright position.
Side effects that occur after taking the medication
Can “Alendronic Acid” cause negative effects? Reviews of patients and doctors say that this drug has a fairly large number of side effects. Which ones, we will consider a little further.
- Digestive system: esophagitis, diarrhea, dysphagia, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation and heartburn. Quite rarely, after taking the drug in patients, vomiting, melena, nausea, stricture of the esophagus, gastritis, esophageal ulcer, ulcers of the mucous membranes of the pharynx and oral cavity, perforation of the esophageal ulcer with the appearance of bleeding occur.
- Nervous system: headaches.
- Musculoskeletal system: pain in the muscles, bones and joints.
- Organs of vision: scleritis and uveitis.
- Allergy: angioedema, urticaria, Stevens-Johnson and Lyell syndromes (in isolated cases).
- Other side effects include erythema, rash, photodermatosis, pruritus, and symptomatic hypocalcemia. There are also cases of development of osteonecrosis of the lower and upper jaws in patients with cancer who undergo antitumor therapy, which includes the use of bisphosphonates. Thus, the risk factors for osteonecrosis are: chemotherapy, cancer, treatment with glucocorticosteroids, radiation therapy, inadequate oral hygiene, local infectious or inflammatory process, including osteomyelitis.
- Laboratory studies: transient and slight decrease in the concentration of phosphates and calcium.
It cannot be said that the typical symptoms at the beginning of therapy with the drug are the following: malaise, myalgia and fever.
Interaction with other drugs
Together with what medications is Alendronic Acid never given to its patients, its synonyms?
According to the instructions, it is not recommended to take this drug at the same time with medications that contain calcium and antacids (due to a possible decrease in the absorption of the active substance of the drug).
The interval between taking the drug "Alendronat" and the use of other drugs should be at least half an hour.
Nonsteroidal drugs, as well as acetylsalicylic acid, can significantly increase the side effects of the drug on the digestive tract.
The combined intake of Alendronic Acid (but not simultaneous) with estrogens is not accompanied by a change in their actions and the development of any side effects.
Taking a drug such as Prednisone is not accompanied by significant changes in the bioavailability of the acid.
Special instructions for taking the medication
What you need to know before you start taking a drug like Alendronic Acid? Analogs and the drug in question can adversely affect the organs of the digestive tract. Therefore, to reduce the irritating effect, it is recommended to take the medication in the morning, on an empty stomach, with a glass of water.
After taking the medicine, you must be upright for half an hour. Using the product in a horizontal position or at bedtime increases the risk of developing a deviation such as esophagitis.
The patient should be informed about the cessation of medication when there is heartburn, the appearance of pain behind the sternum and when swallowing, as well as with the development of dysphagia.
With hypocalcemia, it should be corrected before starting therapy. It is also recommended to eliminate violations of mineral metabolism, which lead to this deviation.
During the use of bisphosphonates, the patient should ensure the intake of adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium.
During therapy, due to the positive effect of acid on the mineral density of bone tissue, a slight decrease in the concentration of phosphates and calcium in the blood may be observed in the patient.
Before treatment with bisphosphonates, patients with concomitant risk factors (with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc.) should undergo a dental examination.
Price and analogues of the drug
Now you know how to take a drug such as Alendronic Acid. From what this medicine is prescribed by doctors, we also found out. However, most patients who have been prescribed this medication always care about the same question: how much does it cost?
Today, Alendronic Acid can be purchased for 350 rubles (4 tablets). Given the dosage regimen (once a week), this price is not very high.
If for any reason the medication we are considering does not suit you, then it can be replaced with analogues. These include drugs such as Tevanat, Ostalon, Alendronat, Strongos, Alendrokern, Ostealen, Lindron, Alental, Forosa, Osterepar, Fosamax "And so on.
Reviews of patients and doctors about the drug
What do patients and doctors say about a drug like Alendronic Acid? According to their reviews, the drug copes with the task. It well strengthens bone tissue, treats osteoporosis and Paget's disease.
However, one cannot fail to note the fact that this medication has a fairly large number of side effects. In this regard, the drug should be taken only as directed by specialists. Moreover, the latter must inform the patient about any contraindications.
The largest number of negative reviews addressed to Alendronic Acid comes from those patients who have problems with the digestive tract. This is due to the fact that this drug can adversely affect the stomach, esophagus and intestines.