Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water(water only), on an empty stomach right when you wake up in the morning.
Do not lie down, eat or drink, or take vitamins or supplements for 30 minutes after taking this medicine.
Do not chew or crush the tablet.
Take this medication exactly as directed.
If you miss a dose, take the dose the morning of the next day, then continue on your normal dose schedule. Do not double up on any dose.
Important Information
Contact your healthcare provider if you get the following symptoms: rash, soar throat, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, difficulty passing urine or blood in your urine.
Side effects that you should immediately report to your healthcare provider
Allergic reaction(hives, itching, swelling of the face or mouth), trouble breathing, pain of the joints, muscles, bone, stomach or chest, vision changes, heartburn, jaw pain, pain or difficulty swallowing, heartbeat changes, any red, blistering, loosening or peeling skin, tarry or black stools.
Other Side Effects
Diarrhea, constipation, headache, itchy eyes, nausea, vomiting, intestinal gas, taste changes, low calcium and phosphate, flu like symptoms, ulcers of stomach and esophagus.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
10 mg tablet by mouth once daily before breakfast, OR 70 mg tablet by mouth once weekly before breakfast. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
OR
70 mg effervescent tablet to be dissolved in four ounces of water and taken orally once weekly. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
Osteoporosis Prophylaxis in Postmenopausal Women
35mg tablet by mouth once weekly before breakfast. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
OR
5mg tablet by mouth once daily. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
Osteoporosis in Adult Men
10 mg tablet by mouth once daily before breakfast. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
OR
70 mg tablet by mouth once weekly. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
OR
70 mg effervescent tablet to be dissolved in four ounces of water and taken orally once weekly. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
Osteoporosis from corticosteroids
5mg tablet by mouth once daily before breakfast.
OR
10mg tablet by mouth once daily. (For post menopausal women not taking estrogen therapy).
Malignant Hypercalcemia
Between 5 and 15 mg given intravenously as one infusion over 2-6 hours.
Paget’s Disease
40 mg tablet by mouth once daily for 6 months. Often taken with calcium and vitamin D.
Alendronate is a medication commonly used for bone and calcium conditions. This medication helps your body to use calcium and to create new bone tissue. This is a safe and well tolerated medication when used as prescribed. It is used for conditions such as osteoporosis, Paget’s Disease, thyroid and calcium conditions, osteoporosis prevention, and corticosteroid use.
Resources
1. Binosto(TM) oral effervescent tablets, alendronate sodium oral effervescent tablets[package insert]. San Antonio, TX: Mission Pharmacal Company (per FDA); 2012.
2. Nussbaum SR, Warrell RP, Rude R Jr, et al: Dose-response study of alendronate sodium for the treatment of cancer-associated hypercalcemia. J Clin Oncol 1993; 11:1618-1623.
Author: Evan Redmond, Pharm.D.