Some women may benefit from osteoporosis drugs before they have osteoporosis

Main Category: Bones / Orthopedics
Article Date: 25 May 2004 - 0:00 PDT


According to an American study, many women would benefit from taking osteoporosis drugs earlier. The study indicates that these women are at very high risk of breaking bones a long time before the osteoporosis sets in.

The study was carried out at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, USA, and was led by Dr. Ethel Siris. Merck and Co, producers of Fosamax (osteoporosis drug), funded the study.

The team studied the records of 149,524 women. They were all white, aged around 65 and had had bone-density scans.

2,259 had broken bones within a year of taking the scan. Of those who had broken bones, 82% had the initial stages of low bone-density in their scores, but they did not have osteoporosis. Only 18% of those women with broken bones were considered suitable for osteoporosis drugs (according to present prescribing criteria).

Impartial outside doctors were invited to review the study. They said the study was sound and well carried out.

The researchers concluded that doctors should consider lowering the threshold for prescribing osteoporosis drugs. Many women have certain risk factors that increase their probability of breaking a bone - but they do not have osteoporosis.

You can read about this study in Archives of Internal Medicine.

Some experts said the study is interesting, more evidence is needed which indicates that women who do not have osteoporosis, but have milder bone loss, would benefit from earlier prescriptions.

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