A to Z Health Guide 2007

For most folks, drinking plenty of milk and getting enough vitamin D and exercise are sufficient to keep bones strong. But for some people, more bone-building is needed. Zoledronic acid, marketed as Reclast, is the first once-a-year treatment approved for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It can also be prescribed for both sexes to treat the bone disorder Paget's disease. But you might not want to jump too fast for the annual IV infusion. Like most drugs, Reclast comes with side effects, and the fda is reviewing data showing that it and other osteoporosis medications may increase abnormal heart rhythms.