Fosamax Fracture Lawsuit

What Vitamin D does for Your Body

Our bones go through a continuous process of bone remodeling cycle to maintain their strength however, as we age, they tend to lose density and to some, the end result may be osteoporosis. People who are having or at risk of having osteoporosis are often given bisphosphonates, which however have been getting a lot of bad news lately. Differing opinions held by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory members led to the recommendation of stronger warnings for such drugs including Fosamax.

Probably, if we can avoid from developing the disease then we would not have to go contemplating that far. Learning more about how vitamin D functions to maintain the health of our bones definitely matters. Our skeletal system serves as scaffold that protects organs and it also anchors muscles for motion, hence maintaining bone health is essential to our lives.

The movement of calcium within the body by and large rely upon vitamin D. Calcitriol, which is the active form of vitamin D, facilitates absorption of calcium in the intestine. Also, it increases the release of calcium into the blood from bone while decreasing the excretion of calcium to the urine by the kidney. 

In the bone remodeling angle, vitamin D causes bone-forming cells known as osteoblasts to produce a certain molecule which triggers the production of osteoclasts – the bone cells responsible for bone resorption. This action ensures the maintenance of bone mineralization within normal range.

As simple as it sounds, vitamin D indeed can be synthesized in the skin with the aid of adequate sunlight. Vitamin D researchers concurred that by exposing oneself to sunlight for 5 to 30 minutes at least twice a week between 10 AM to 3 PM, you can already meet the required amount of vitamin D in your body. Moreover, the recommended daily vitamin D intake of a person can also be met by eating the flesh of a fatty fishes like salmon.

While the information about the benefits of vitamin D is somewhat a good news to us, bad news continue to pile up for Merck, a pharmaceutical company. The said company allegedly failed to properly warn its patients and doctors of the associated risks involved in taking the bisphosphonate drug Fosamax. A considerable number of harmed patients persistent in arranging a Fosamax lawsuit against the company.

Bad Effect Of Smoking Include Susceptibility To Bone Fracture

A fracture of the bone happens when a blow directed to the bone is greater than the threshold of endurance possessed by the bone. Medical professionals have accumulated related factors which aggravates the likelihood of having bone fracture. These factors may vary among distinct populations and under certain conditions that is why for more information regarding health issues afflicting you or your loved one, the best source of information is still a licensed and efficient physician. Unbeknownst to the majority of the population, smoking may lead to bone fracture because this bad habit eventually weakens the bone structure.

 

There is a need to educate the people, especially the young and new generation, about upholding a healthy lifestyle and avoiding bad habits such as smoking to prevent diseases. Fracture is a common incident among old people because their bones are not as strong as they used to. The non-modifiable factors of bone breakage are: family history, genetics, culture, bone degenerating disease process such as osteoporosis, age, and sex.  Changes in lifestyle, smoking habits, alcohol intake, stress, bisphosphonate and glucocorticoid drug intake, diet, weight are some of the noted dependent factors for fracture susceptibility.

The harmful effects of cigarette smoking has been dispersed to many people for ages. People should be aware that the smoke they inhale makes their bones weak because the nicotine found in cigarettes blocks calcium absorption to the bones. Our bones need calcium to strengthen its structure and our body's calcium supply is also stored in our bones. A decrease in bone calcium level may lead to a parallel decline of the bone's mineral density. This is the reason why smoking is bad because it impairs our bones strength.

On the other hand, osteoporosis is a condition with high incidence of fracture because the disease process makes the bones porous and brittle. There is a bisphosphonate drug usually prescribed by doctors which is Fosamax. Nonetheless, there were serious allegations made by long-time users that the drug in question caused them harm. If you believe you have a similar account and you want to file a Fosamax Fracture Lawsuit, you can consult a Fosamax lawyer for free.

Related articles

• Merck Claims Fosamax Not Behind Woman's Bone Fractures (waltershull.wordpress.com)

Treatment For Oral Cavity Avascular Bone Necrosis Associated With Bisphosphonate Fosamax Use

Bisphosphonate drugs has been used as adjuncts to cancer treatments such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and steroid medication treatments. One of the commonly used bisphosphonate drug administered in large doses to cancer patients is Fosamax (generic name of Alendronate Sodium), which was used to counter the negative effects of the chemotherapy, radiation therapy and other cancer treatments used. There was an increasing number of reports about Fosamax's relation to osteonecrosis of the jaw incidences as a result to cancer management plans which involves intravenous administration of bisphosphonate drugs to aid in bone strengthening and prevention of fracture occurrence to cancer patient's susceptible brittle and fragile bones after many sessions of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and the likes.

 

Bisphosphonate-induced Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BONJ)

This is a bone degenerating condition due to an unusual decrease in essential blood supply to the affected area which is the jaw bone. Bis-phossy jaw, Bisphosphonate-induced Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BONJ) and Deterioration of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) also point to the disease process called Osteonecrosis of the Jaw. The deteriorating bone condition will eventually lead to jaw pain, swelling, numbness, gum infection, poor gum healing after injury or surgery and loose teeth which are some of the frequently reported symptoms experienced by those who had ONJ.

 

Non-surgical and Surgical Treatments

Surgical management for osteonecrosis of the jaw is not an ideal approach since the healing ability of the bone is not strong enough to handle the great injury which will arise when invasive procedures are done during surgery. Nevertheless, there are non-surgical treatments used for Bisphosphonate-related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BRONJ) and these are antimicrobial rinses, systemic antibiotics, systemic or topical antifungal, discontinuation of bisphosphonate therapy and no dental therapy or minimally invasive dental therapy (such as root canal therapy instead of extraction). Hopefully in the future, experts will finally think of a solution to treat ONJ for long-term goal.

There were jaw bone reconstructive efforts proposed but seldom done by some experts. Procedures such as hyperbaric oxygen use (HBO) and reconstructive transfer of vascularized tissue to the affected part are still under vigorous study. The increased danger of Fosamax intake can take a toll to the pending piles of Fosamax lawsuits which involves femur fracture caused by Fosamax and Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw.

If you were injured by Fosamax and experienced any of the given Fosamax side effects, such as osteonecrosis of the jaw, you can set your Fosamax lawsuit into action by talking to a reliable and adept Fosamax lawyer. Free consultation with an able Fosamax lawyer is available free of charge so consult one now and get your just compensation after filing your Fosamax Lawsuit. Fosamax lawsuit sites are available if you need more information regarding this.