The first drug on the market was Fosamax, follow by Actonel a few years later, then Boniva. Fosamax and Actonel are both taken weekly, while Boniva is taken monthly orally, and every three months intravenously. If taking medication is hard for you to remember or a hassle for you to keep up with, Boniva would be a good option.

Another thing to keep in mind is that after taking any of the medications, you must be on your feet for a period of time. Both Fosamax and Actonel, you must be standing for 30 minutes, where as Boniva requires you to be standing up for an hour. If you have a hard time staying on your feet for an extended period of time, you may want to consider Fosamax or Actonel.

All three drugs have FDA approval for the treatment and prevention of post-menopausal osteoporosis. Actonel has approval to reduce fractures at vertebral and nonvertebral sites (hip, wrist, pelvis, clavicle, leg, humorous), Fosamax at vertebral and hip, while Boniva has approval for the spine only.

Since there has been no clinical studies directly comparing all of the drugs, it is hard to say which one is statistically the best. All have been proven affective at treating osteoperosis, so I would talk it over with your doctor and weigh out the benefits of each before making a decision.

Diabetes has been a growing problem over recent years. More than likely you or someone you know has been affected by diabetes in one way or another. A report today by ABC.com stated that 45 percent of adults have diagnosed or undiagnosed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.

It is important to know what kind of medication you or your loved one is taking when it comes to diabetes, so we will do a quick rundown of the most popular diabetes drugs and how they work.

Actos Oral

Actos is an anti-diabetic drug that is prescribed along with a proper diet and exercise program in order to control high blood sugar in patients that suffer from type 2 diabetes. Actos works by helping to restore your body’s proper response to insulin, which in turn lowers your blood sugar.

Amaryl Oral

Amaryl aka Glimepiride is an anti-diabetic drug that is used in patients with type 2 diabetes. Amaryl works by to stimulate the release of your body’s natural insulin. Controlling high blood sugar will allow diabetics to avoid kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, and many other problems while also lessening the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Lantus SubQ

Lantus is used in people with type 1 (insulin-dependent) or type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. Lantis is a man-made, long-acting type of insulin that is similar to human insulin but starts working more slowly and lasts longer than regular insulin produced by the body.

Avandamet Oral

Avandamet works by helping to restore your body’s proper response to the insulin you naturally produce. Avandamet belongs to a class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones or “glitazones.”

Cozaar Oral

Cozaar is used to treat high blood pressure and also to help protect the kidneys from damage due to diabetes and works by blocking the hormone angiotensin which relaxes blood vessels, causing them to become wider. Cozaar is in the class of drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers.

Glucophage Oral

Glucophage is used in people with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes) and works by controlling high blood sugar. Proper control of diabetes may also lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke. It is in the class of drugs known as biguanides and works by helping to restore your body’s proper response to the insulin your body naturally produces, while also decreasing the amount of sugar that your liver makes and that your stomach and intestines absorb.

These are just a few of the more common drugs that you may be prescribed by your doctor. If we didn’t cover your diabetes drug in this post, check out healthcentral.com and study up on your diabetes drugs. Also, always make sure you know of any and all possible side effects that could occur.

Sounds great. My only question is: What’s the co-pay?

[More info here.]