Fosamax vs. Evista

• Are Fosamax and Evista the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Fosamax?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Evista?
• What is Fosamax?
• What is Evista?
• What Drugs Interact With Fosamax?
• What Drugs Interact With Evista?
• How Should Fosamax Be Taken?
• How Should Evista Be Taken?

Fosamax (alendronate sodium) and Evista (raloxifene hydrochloride) are used to treat and prevent osteoporosis.

Fosamax is also used to treat Paget's disease.

Evista is also used to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis or who are otherwise at risk of invasive breast cancer.

Fosamax and Evista belong to different drug classes. Fosamax is a bisphosphonate and Evista is an estrogen agonist/antagonist.

Common side effects of Fosamax include:

• gas,
• constipation,
• heartburn,
• diarrhea,
• bloating,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• joint pain or swelling,
• swelling in your hands or feet,
• dizziness,
• headache,
• eye pain,
• back pain, or
• weakness.

Serious side effects of Fosamax include:

• severe pain (joints, bone, muscle, jaw, back or heartburn),
• chest pain,
• difficulty swallowing,
• bloody stools,
• eye pain,
• skin blisters, and
• swelling of the face, tongue, or throat.

Common side effects of Evista include:

• hot flashes,
• increased sweating,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• leg cramps or leg pain,
• joint pain,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain, or
• runny or stuffy nose.
• Evista may infrequently cause stroke or serious blood clots to form in the legs, lungs, or eyes.

Seek medical attention if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Evista including:

• leg swelling or pain,
• trouble breathing,
• chest pain,
• sudden vision changes,
• severe headache,
• weakness on one side of the body, or
• confusion.

Fosamax (alendronate sodium) is a bisphosphonate that is a specific inhibitor of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption used to both treat and prevent osteoporosis, and to treat Paget's disease.

Evista (raloxifene hydrochloride) is an estrogen agonist/antagonist used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Evista is also used to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis or who are otherwise at risk of invasive breast cancer.

Fosamax may interact with aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Evista may interact with cholestyramine, blood thinners, diazepam, diazoxide, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy.

Fosamax is available in a tablet or oral liquid form. Each bottle of the oral solution contains 91.35 mg of alendronate monosodium salt trihydrate, which is the molar equivalent to 70 mg of the drug. The recommended initial dosage is one 70 mg molar equivalent tablet or oral liquid bottle once weekly or one 10 mg molar equivalent tablet per day. Fosamax must be taken at least one-half hour before the first food, beverage, or medication of the day with plain water only to avoid any reduction in gastrointestinal adsorption.

The recommended dosage is one 60 mg Evista tablet daily, taken any time of day without regard to meals.