PPI Osteoporosis Drug Attorneys (Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec)

Antidote for Rhematoid Arthritis Drug Bone Fractures

2009-08-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Approximately 50 percent of people who are prescribed chronic glucocorticoid therapy for rheumatoid arthritis will eventually have an osteoporotic fracture. The use of glucocorticoid medications can lead to a reduction in bone formation.

Eli Lilly and Company's drug Forteo has been FDA approved as a new use to treat osteoporosis along with chronic glucocorticoid therapy drugs. Lily said Forteo is supposed to counter the effects of these glucocorticoid therapy drugs while stimulating bone formation.

Lilly provided data from a clinical study demonstrating the effectiveness of the product.

PPI drugs and drug dependency

2009-07-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Morale of the story: If you don't need PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors), don't take them.

According to a clinical trial, healthy people without any history of acid reflux or heartburn problems took PPIs for eight weeks which lead to developing symptoms for PPIs thusly a dependency on the drug.

(Why would healthy people participate in such a clinical trial?)

PPIs like Aciphex, Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, and Protonix are among the most widely used prescription medications in the world.

Proton pump inhibitors are highly effective treatments for acid reflux symptoms, but taking prescription-strength dosages of the drugs for just a few months can lead to dependency, new research suggests.

By week 12, when the PPI group had been off active treatment for four weeks, about 21% reported symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, or acid regurgitation, compared to slightly less than 2% of those who never took a PPI.

The study appears in the July issue of the journal Gastroenterology.

PPI Health Concerns

2009-05-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

According to the National Prescribing Service Limited, health professionals are advised to cut down proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and/or stop it when appropriate.

PPIs are regarded as safe medicines, but evidence suggests they can cause serious adverse effects such as a rare hypersensitivity reaction which has been reported following the use of PPIs. Recent studies have indicated that PPI use may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile infection and community-acquired pneumonia.

By using a step-down approach, the beneficial effects of PPI therapy are retained and the risk of adverse effects is reduced. Patient symptoms can be controlled using a lower dose, either daily or when symptoms occur.

The NPS therapeutic program on PPIs reinforces the following:

- A 4-8 week course of standard-dose PPI therapy should be used to control symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- A step-down approach should be adopted to reach the lowest dose and frequency of PPIs - Serious PPI side effects can occur
- Lifestyle changes can help reduce the need for PPI therapyPatients should make lifestyle changed to avoid food and drinks that exacerbate their symptoms.

The NPS is an independent, non-profit organization for Quality Use of Medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

If only the FDA were as prudent...

Osteoporosis and Dangerous Drugs

2009-03-10T03:08:00.000-07:00

Here's an osteoporosis drug that isn't approved yet and has been trying for the past several years to be approved.

Pfizer submitted the current application for lasofoxifene on December 18, 2007. On September 8, 2008, an FDA scientific advisory panel voted 9-3 (with one abstention) that there is a population of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis in which the benefits of lasofoxifene likely outweigh the risks. FDA is not required to follow the advice of the panel.

This doesn't sound convincing to me.

Osteoporosis drugs are not without terrible side effects and drugs taken for gastric ulcers can cause osteoporosis.

2009-03-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

A new pill called Kapidex, for chronic heartburn caused when excess stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration.

Kapidex is a new version of Prevacid.

The new formulation releases the drug in two separate stages in order to spread out the dose more evenly.

Prevacid loses its proprietary patent in November 2009. Prevacid and drugs of its genre (proton pump inhibitors) are the best selling prescribed drugs. (Blogger’s note: Americans must have a lot of heartburn. Is there no remedy without drugs?)

Regulators took three months longer than scheduled to decide whether to approve the new medicine, dexlansoprazole. (Blogger’s note: Why?)

Generic Relief for Peptic Ulcer Sufferers

2009-03-03T02:12:00.000-08:00

Mylan Inc. received final FDA approval for a generic version of the heartburn drug Prilosec.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an abbreviated new drug application for omeprazole delayed-release capsules, 40 mg.

The capsules are approved for the treatment of peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Prilosec is made by AstraZeneca PLC. Prilosec has serious side effects.

Mylan's shares went up.

Generic Prilosec Hits the Market

2009-03-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Impax Laboratories Inc.’s Abbreviated New Drug Application for a generic version of Prilosec.

Prilosec is marketed by AstraZeneca for the treatment of duodenal/gastric ulcers and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The new approval is for 40-mg delayed-release capsules.

Prilosec is not without serious side effects.

PPI Drugs and Plavix Dangerous Drug Cocktails

2009-02-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

People who take Plavix for clot prevention and heartburn meds like Prilosec and Prevacid (proton pump inhibitors) are at greater risk for a second heart attack.

Oh, boy! Do the TV commercials mention that?

Prilosec and Prevacid are among the best selling prescribed drugs and Plavix is the second highest selling drug in the world.

A study was done in Canada and people taking both drugs had a 40 percent reoccurrence of a second heart attack. A second study confirmed the link that 39 percent of people who took Plavix after a stent implant suffered serious heart related events compared to 26 percent who only took Plavix.

The heart burn meds affect the liver which makes Plavix less useful which in turn affects the heart.

It seems if you are taking Plavix, you should continue to take it. The question is whether you should take a proton pump inhibitor (heart burn medicine too).

Osteoporosis Fractures At Risk for Death

2009-02-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

According to a study recently released by the Journal of the American Medical Association, low trauma fractures are associated with increased mortality risk for 5 to 10 years after the fracture.

A similar study was done in Australia with similar results. Mortality risk was increased for nearly all types of fractures, including hip fractures and vertebral fractures, but excluding minor fractures, which only increased mortality in adults over the age of 75.

Preventing osteoporosis or at least slowing it down is of prime importance for the elderly population.

The Purple Pill for Infants?

2008-12-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

AstraZeneca, makers of Nexium, America's favorite and best selling purple pill is applying for a dosage appropriate pill for infants from birth to 1 year old with chronic GERD (gastroesopheagal reflex disease).

The treatment would be for up to 6 weeks.

Although physiologic non-painful regurgitation is normal in the first year of life, some infants may have persistent symptoms diagnosed as GERD that could require treatment with an acid-suppressive drug to help resolve the problem.

Blogger's note:
What next? Baby-strength Lipitor?

Heartburn Drugs Cause Bone Fractures

2008-12-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

You have got to take pity on the poor woman or man who has been prescribed Nexium or Prilosec for chronic heartburn.

Why?

Studies have shown that long-term use of drugs such as Nexium or Prilosec for more than a year increased the likelihood of hip fracture by more than 40 percent. Patients on high-dose heartburn medication were more than twice as likely to break a hip than those not taking such drugs.

What's the cause? Perhaps the reduction of stomach acid decreases calcium absorption and increases bone loss.

You have got to wonder what the drug makers were thinking about and when did they know about the bone loss?

Drug Cocktails: Nexium and Plavix Don't Mix

2008-11-26T21:45:00.000-08:00

Did you know America's favorite purple pill for heartburn (Nexium) doesn't mix with Plavix, the drug prescribed for people who have stents?

Patients who took both drugs were significantly more likely to be hospitalized for a heart attack, stroke, chest pain, or a coronary artery bypass operation than those who took Plavix alone.

It sounds like Nexium is not for the faint of heart.

There's got to be a safer solution for heartburn.

The Color Purple, Fear the Purple Pill

2008-10-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

Ask your doctor about the purple pill.

It appears that we are a nation of dutiful people who take suggestive comments made by TV and online commercials because a study revealed that AstraZeneca’s website – purplepill.com –aka Nexium for heartburn, generated the most traffic. It's actually brilliant marketing because everyone can remember purple pill rather than a odd sounding pharmaceutical name.

It could also be that we’re a nation of heartburn sufferers. The website generated more than one million unique visitors during the second quarter of 2008.

We’re also a nation of diabetics because Actos ranked second with 855,000 unique visitors and insomniacs ranked third with Ambien CR.

AstraZeneca aggressively marketed Nexium running approximately twice as much online display advertising in the second quarter as either of its major competitors, Prevacid and Aciphex.

Also, Pfizer ramped up marketing and public relations efforts for Lyrica since the third quarter of 2007, when the product received FDA approval to be marketed for the treatment of fibromyalgia. lyrica.com had a 36-percent increase in unique visitors.

Have you suffered serious side effects or life threatening injury caused by the purple pill and other heartburn related pharmaceutical drugs?

Osteoporosis - Hip Fractures Can Be Fatal

2008-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

It's hell getting old.

The drug companies bombard us with a million ways how our bodies and minds will fail us and how we need to take more drugs to be saved.

If that is the case, I don't think I want saving.

Yet, I don't want a hip fracture either. My dear maternal grandmother died from a hip fracture. She really died from hospital error but it was the hip fracture that landed her in the hospital.

So what should the millions of us in the aging population be doing to reduce the risks of hip fractures?

Most people want to take a magic pill instead of eating right, exercising, practicing good habits, taking calcium, etc. Try a dose of common sense instead.

Have you taken pills like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec and suffered from hip fractures? If so, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. You are not alone. Pharmaceutical drugs are not always the solution; sometimes they're the problem.

Yearly Osteoporosis Drug Approved for Men

2008-10-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

Europe—The once-yearly Aclasta® an osteoporosis drug for men who are at risk of fractures was recently approved. Men have previously been under the radar for osteoporosis concerns but one in five men over 50 years old have suffered some kind of osteo fracture.

Data from more than 2,100 patients, showed that once-yearly Aclasta reduced the risk of new clinical fractures by 35% in men and postmenopausal women who have recently had a low-trauma hip fracture from a fall from standing height or less. Hip fractures can be a potentially life-threatening consequence of osteoporosis.

A 2-year head-to-head trial compared Aclasta with weekly oral alendronate provided additional data on the treatment of male osteoporosis.

Aclasta, which is administered by once-yearly infusion, was approved in the Europe Commission in October 2007 for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Aclasta/Reclast is the only treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis approved in the EU and US to reduce the risk of fractures including the hip, spine and non-spine. Aclasta is also approved in more than 80 countries for the treatment of Paget's disease of the bone, the second most common metabolic bone disorder.

The most common adverse events associated with Aclasta were transient post-dose symptoms such as fever and muscle pain. Most of these symptoms occurred within the first three days following Aclasta administration and resolved within three days.

Blogger's Note: The drug is in its infant stages. It's too early to know longterm side effects. Patient beware.

If you have had serious life-threatening side effects from taking any osteoporosis related drugs, please contact an unsafe drug law firm with experience pursuing these kinds of cases.

New Osteoporosis Drug is Russian Roulette

2008-09-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

According to the AP article, the FDA panel of experts* voted 9 to 3 that the benefits of the experimental osteoporosis drug Fablyn** far outweigh the risks of blood clots, vaginal bleeding, and hastening cancer of the uterus.

Government regulators already rejected Fablyn in 2005, citing concerns it could hasten cancer of the uterus lining. While those specific problems didn't show up in more recent studies, FDA noted higher rates of overall death among women taking the drug.

Pfizer said that the increased deaths were due to chance***.

Comments by the blog poster:

*...FDA panel of experts - That phrase sounds like an oxymoron. I wonder if the panel of experts would, if there are any that are women, take the osteoporosis drug? Or would they let their mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives take the drug Fablyn? I wonder if there was a gender breakdown as far as pro and con?

**Fablyn - Word association: No way should the drug be thought as fab, fabulous, fabu, or fabulosity. It seems the more risky the drug, the more the drug companies try to glam up the name. Remember Fabian? He is alive and well and most likely was a hearthrob to the female osteoporosis generation. Do not confuse the two.

***Pfizer said that the increased deaths were due to chance.
Women: Most likely you have less chance of blood clots and cancer of the uterus if you don't take this Fablyn drug. Wait 15 years to see if people taking it get sick and there is increased death.

Don't be Pfizer's guinea pigs.

They have deep pockets. You have an increased chance of death if you try to beat a train at a railroad crossing or wear a blindfold while hiking. Fablyn sounds like Russian roulette to me.

The saddest thing about this osteoporosis drug situation is that they already know it's risky but are going to approve it anyway. After being approved, Pfizer's stock rose...

Do you need a good lawyer?

Can Acid Reflux Drugs Increase the Risk of Fractures?

2008-08-14T05:44:00.000-07:00

What did the study show? A recent study from Canada suggest that certain drugs, called PPI's (Proton Pump Inhibitors), can cause a loss in bone mass, which can lead to osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures.

... And not a small increase. The study showed that the risk can be 450% greater for those who were on a PPI for more than 7 years. (And a 150% increase for those on the drugs for 5 years or more). So somewhere after 5 years, the risk becomes very significant according the the findings.

Which drugs are PPI drugs? Drugs like Nexium, Prilosec, Aciphex, Protonix, and Prevacid.

How much are these drugs used? Last year, sales for these drugs topped $14 billion. That is billion with a "B". There were over 180 million prescriptions.

Why are these drugs given? For bleeding ulcers, acid reflux, heartburn.

Sources:
Targownik, L. CMAJ, Aug. 12, 2008; vol 179: pp 319-326.
Richards, J. CMAJ, Aug. 12, 2008; vol 179: pp 306-307.