Alendronat Viatris
Alendronat Viatris treats osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and can reduce the risk of spine and hip fractures.
How to Use
Dosage
Take one 70 mg tablet once a week.
Method
Take one tablet on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, before any food or drink. Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass (at least 200 ml) of plain water while sitting or standing upright. Do not crush, chew, or let the tablet dissolve in your mouth. Do not take with mineral water, coffee, tea, juice, or milk. Do not lie down for at least 30 minutes after taking it, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking any other medication.
The maximum daily dose is one 70 mg tablet, taken once a week. Do not take more than one tablet per week.
Possible Side Effects
- •Mouth, throat, chest, or stomach pain, which may be associated with bloating, feeling sick, nausea, loss of appetite, or weight loss.
- •Heartburn or worsening heartburn, indigestion, chest pain, or pain when swallowing.
- •Bone, muscle, and/or joint pain, sometimes severe.
- •Joint swelling, swelling in the hands or feet.
- •Abdominal pain, discomfort, feeling full in the stomach or belching after meals, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence.
- •Hair loss, itching.
- •Headache, dizziness, vertigo, unusual weakness.
- •Tenderness or pain in one or both eyes, eye redness, blurred vision, watery eyes, light sensitivity, or floaters in your vision.
- •Nausea, vomiting.
- •Rash, skin redness.
- •Temporary flu-like symptoms, such as muscle pain, general discomfort, and sometimes fever, usually at the beginning of treatment.
- •Taste disturbance.
- •Allergic reactions, such as hives; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat, which may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing (angioedema).
- •Severe skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis, involving severe blistering and peeling of the skin.
- •Mouth and/or jaw pain, swelling, or sores in the mouth, numbness, or a heavy feeling in the jaw, or loose teeth (signs of jawbone damage, osteonecrosis).
- •Unusual thigh bone fractures, especially in patients on long-term osteoporosis treatment.
- •Symptoms of low blood calcium levels, including muscle cramps or spasms and/or a tingling sensation in the fingers or around the mouth.
- •Narrowing of the esophagus.
- •Rash that worsens with sunlight.
- •Mouth and throat sores if the tablet was chewed or sucked.
- •Ear pain, ear infection, and/or discharge from the ear (signs of ear bone damage).
- •Unusual fractures other than in the thigh bone.
Important Warnings
- Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to alendronic acid or any other ingredients.
- Do not take if you have problems with your esophagus (food pipe) that make swallowing difficult, or if food gets stuck.
- Remain upright (sitting, standing, or walking) for at least 30 minutes after taking the tablet. Do not lie down.
- Do not take if you have very low calcium levels in your blood.
- Talk to your doctor if you have kidney problems, swallowing issues, digestive problems, stomach ulcers, internal bleeding, or recent surgery in your stomach, esophagus, or throat.
Show 3 more warnings
- Stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor immediately if you experience difficulty or pain when swallowing, chest pain, worsening heartburn, or mouth/throat sores.
- Maintain good oral hygiene and inform your doctor or dentist if you have any mouth or jaw problems, as this medicine can affect your jawbone, especially after tooth extractions.
- Do not drive or operate machinery if this medicine affects your ability to do so (e.g., blurred vision, dizziness, or severe bone/muscle/joint pain).
Use in Elderly Patients
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Do not use in severe renal impairment. The medicine must be taken with sufficient liquid and the patient should then remain in an upright position for 30 minutes. Iron, magnesium, aluminium and calcium decrease absorption. Assessment by a dentist recommended before treatment. (updated 20.5.2024)