Assessment

Osteoporosis

• Assess patients for low bone mass before and periodically during therapy

• Assess for symptoms of Paget's disease (bone pain, headache, decreased visual and auditory acuity, increased skull size)

• Osteoporosis: Assess serum calcium before and periodically during therapy. Hypocalcemia and vitamin D deficiency should be treated before initiating alendronate therapy. May cause mild, transient elevations of calcium and phosphate

» Paget's Disease: Monitor alkaline phosphatase before and periodically during therapy. Alendronate is indicated for patients with alkaline phosphatase twice the upper limit of normal

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