Alendronate | Uses, Side Effects, and More and Physical Risks and Side Effects of Combining Alcohol and Ambien

Alendronate is a prescription drug that’s available as the brand-name drugs Fosamax and Binosto. Alendronate acid or Alendronate sodium are the chemical names of the drug. The drug is marketed by Merck, approved by the FDA for the treatment of Osteoporosis and other bone conditions. 

The drug is available in generic form after Merck’s patent on the drug expired in 2008. At the current time, Alendronate is the most widely prescribed drug of its type in America.

Why is Alendronate Prescribed?

Alendronate is prescribed to patients to prevent and treat osteoporosis. The bones of a patient with an Osteoporosis condition become thin and weak and break easily. This drug is also used to treat Paget’s disease. A patient’s bones become soft and vulnerable in this condition, maybe deformed or painful, and break easily.

Alendronate may be consumed as part of combination therapy with Vitamin D and Calcium supplements. Refer to this website for more information on Alendronate side effects.

How does Alendronate work?

Alendronate belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates. A type of drug contains all the drugs that work similarly. Drugs of the same level are often used to treat similar conditions.

Side Effects of Alendronate

Alendronate has been tied to several adverse health effects. The most common side effects are:

• Stomach pain
• Acid reflux
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Muscle and Joint pain

More dangerous side effects of Alendronate are:

Bone death of jaw. Symptoms can include:

• Poor healing of your jaw
• Loosening of your teeth
• Painful or swollen gums

Ulcers or erosion of the esophagus. Symptoms include:

• Trouble swallowing
• Pain when swallowing
• Bloody vomit
• Chest pain

Unusual bone breaks in the leg and hip bones. 

Severe joint, bone, or muscle pain.

Dosage of Alendronate for treatment of osteoporosis in men and postmenopausal women

Form – Oral Tablet

Strengths – 5, 10, 35, 40, and 70 mg

Form – Oral Solution

Strengths – 70 mg/75 Ml

Brand: Binosto 

Form: Oral Effervescent Tablet, Strengths: 70 mg

Brand: Fosamax

Form: Oral Tablet, Strengths: 70 mg

Children between the ages 0-17 years should not consume this drug, and an adult of 18 years and older should take a dose of 70 mg once per week or 10 mg once per day.

Physical Risks and Side Effects of Combining Alcohol and Ambien

Zolpidem, initially marketed as Ambien, is prescribed to patients to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders.

How does Ambien work?

Ambien is a sedative-hypnotic sleep aid, which does not force the patient to fall asleep, but puts the patient brain into an “in-between” sleep and waking state, which helps the patient to sleep. Many people who suffer from sleep disorders and insomnia face difficulty getting into this brain state. To know more about Ambien and alcohol, click here.

Risk of Combining Alcohol and Ambien

When Ambien is consumed with Alcohol, there are a series of potential risks faced by the patient. The following effects can be felt:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Sleepiness or drowsiness
• Somnambulance or commonly known as sleepwalking
• Impaired judgment
• Impaired cognition
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of physical coordination
• Sleep apnea
• Depressed breathing

People are most likely to end up in an intensive care unit when they consume Ambien with Alcohol, compared to people who took Ambien but did not combine it with Alcohol. A recent survey conducted by Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) found that the combination of Ambien and Alcohol was responsible for 13% of admission of people into intensive care unit (ICU)

Mixing Ambien and Alcohol also increases the risk of next-day impairment, including driving impairment. Ambien mixed with alcohol also puts older individuals at significant risk of falls.

Ambien carries the risk of suffering side effects the morning after sleeping, which is why doctors study patients’ medical conditions and prescribe the dose of Ambien to the lowest required amount. 

To Conclude –

If you or your loved one have suffered after using Alendronate, it is advised to contact a pharmaceutical attorney as soon as possible. A pharmaceutical attorney has the skill and tools to fight for your rights and get the compensation you deserve for the injuries and losses you have suffered