Drugs Pose Dangers For Women
PPSNY, February 7th, 2012- Although nearly half of all Americans take a prescription medication, more women take them than men – about 36 percent more, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey. That could be because women go to doctors about a third more often than men do. But those extra visits can result in women ending up on drugs they don’t need. Here are some that are often overused, and here’s why women should think twice before taking them.
Bisphosphonates
Examples: Alendronate (Fosamax and its generic cousins), ibandronate (Boniva), risedronate (Actonel and generics).
For women diagnosed with osteopenia, or pre-osteoporosis, the limited help these bone-building drugs can offer might not be worth the risk of rare but serious side effects, including an abnormal heart rhythm; esophageal ulcers; the loss of bone in the jaw; severe bone, joint and muscle pain; and even thigh fractures. Even among women with osteoporosis, the benefit is fairly limited. Safer measures include getting plenty of calcium (1,200 milligrams a day for women age 50 and older) and Vitamin D (600 international units if you’re 70 or younger, 800 IU if you’re older than 70), and doing regular weight-bearing exercise such as walking.
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