Bone Drugs and Thigh Bone Fractures

There have been a few articles coming out connecting the medications used to prevent osteoporosis, so-called bisphosphonates, with fractures in the thigh. Examples of these medicines include Fosomax, Boniva, Atelvia and Actonel. The risk so far is about 300 cases in 5,000,000 users. There are also some reports of necrosis of the jaw with the use of these medications. Understandably, this is causing many people a lot of distress. But consider the fact that a healthy 50 year old woman is just as likely to die of a complication of osteoporosis as she is of breast cancer. These are risks that are relatively high and life threatening. Sure it’s important to consider the risks of any medication. And a careful discussion with your doctor should be had before starting any drug or staying on it for years at a time. But for now, the benefits are still much higher than the risk for most people. For help preventing the dental problem, floss your teeth daily. If you have thigh pain on these drugs, talk with your doctor to be sure you don’t have a fracture of your thigh bone. And remember, bisphosphonates are still a very safe medicine to take.