Question 181 of 433
Are osteoporosis medications safe? I have heard frightening stories.
The short answer
For people who need them, the benefit is far greater than the risk. Fear of rare side effects has left many people untreated.
The most used drugs, bisphosphonates such as alendronate, reduce spine fractures by up to 70 percent and hip fractures by up to 40 percent. The two side effects people fear are jaw bone damage and unusual thigh fractures. Both are real and both are rare: jaw damage occurs in roughly one in 10,000 people a year or fewer at osteoporosis doses, and unusual thigh fractures, though somewhat more common after many years of use, remain uncommon. For someone at high risk, treatment prevents many times more fractures than it causes.
Other options include a yearly infusion, an injection every six months called denosumab, and bone-building drugs for severe cases. One caution: denosumab must not be stopped abruptly without a plan, because bone loss rebounds quickly.
After several years on a bisphosphonate, many patients can take a break. That is a decision for you and your doctor.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
ROBUST HUMAN TRIALS — Adults at elevated fracture risk: osteoporosis drugs reduce fractures; rare harms and stopping plans vary by drug.Evidence grade (draft mapping)ARobust human trialsPart 13, Q181 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.