Damage to Esophagus Reported Caused by Osteoporosis Medication

Alendronate, a drug designed to build stronger bones in people prone to osteoporosis, can corrode the tube leading to the stomach if it is taken improperly, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. A group led by Dr. Piet C. de Groen of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found three serious cases in which alendronate, trade named Fosamax, had apparently become lodged in the esophagus and had corroded its lining.

A check of a computerized database of adverse drug reactions uncovered more evidence of the problem, especially in people who had lain down after taking alendronate or who had failed to take the medicine with six to eight ounces of water.