Osteoporosis is a growing health problem in our aging population. The death secondary from complications of a hip fracture are equal to the death from breast cancer in our country.
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[/frame_right]Fosamax is the first of four medications that have been developed in our fight against this disease. The group of drugs is called Bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates act on the osteoclast cell in the bone, halting its ability to resorb bone. As the osteblast cell is still building bone with the help of calcium and Vitamin D, the process of bone loss can be reversed with the use of bisphosphonates.
Recently, there have been studies identifying an increased treatment-linked risk for atypical femur fractures seen with patients taking bisphosphonates. This risk seems to increase as time on the drug increases. However, the numbers suggest that a patient taking a bisphosphonate will face a risk of about one additional atypical femur fracture for every 100 typical hip fractures prevented! One can expect a mortality of 40-50% within the first six months following a typical hip fracture. In a review done by Kaiser California from January 2007 through December 2009, 15,819 patients had femur fractures. Only 135 of these fractures were of the “atypical” type we are discussing. The patients with an atypical femur fracture only had a 2% mortality rate within the following year after the fracture (much less than seen with a typical hip fracture).
Most patients will experience warning signs of thigh or groin pain that will precede the majority of atypical femur fractures. If a patient were to experience these symptoms, they should stop their bisphosphonate medication and obtain an X-ray of both hips.
All of the data to this point suggest a very small increased risk for suffering an atypical femur fracture while taking a bisphosphonates. However, since these same bisphosphonates reduce the risk of both vertebral and hip fractures by 50%, the benefits far outweigh the risk. Most experts in the field of osteoporosis feel that Fosamax, along with the other bisphosphonates are excellent medications that should be used in the fight against osteoporosis. If you have further questions, please feel free to discuss them with your doctor.
Great job Dr Robbins !!!!!!!!!!!
My doctor just stopped my Fosamax cold turkey.
I have been on it for 7 years. So many opinions
that I don’t know what to do now. My jaw is fine ,
my bones are a mess, especially my spine which seems to be collapsing. I am 60 years old and have been told I have the spine of a 90 year old. My pain is chronic and I have nerve damage. I am afraid if Fosamax was helping things are going to get worse. To Fosamax or not is the question.
My doctor just stopped my fosamax cold turkey after 7 years. My spine is collapsing and I am in chronic pain with bilateral nerve pain in my legs.
I am afraid I will get worse faster now. So many opinions , what should I do? My bone density showed my lower back and right hip were a problem area. My hip was bothering me and after the fosamax I soon felt better. ????
I have heard that fosamax is bad for your health,is this true?