Guest commentary: Bone-building drugs pose risks

-Sacbee.com

09/25/2008- Every year, 23 million women take Fosamax or other bone-building drugs for osteoporosis and osteopenia – brittle bones and bone-thinning.

While these medications do protect the bones, they carry hidden risks that few women know about.

This year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an alert that these drugs may cause severe bone and muscle pain that usually subsides but has caused women to be bedridden or require wheelchairs, crutches or walkers.

Even though 90 percent of drug side effects are not reported to the FDA, more than 100 such reports have been sent to the federal agency.

In addition, a smaller number of women also have been stricken with a much worse condition, jawbone death or osteonecrosis of the jaw. With ONJ, the jaw simply disintegrates, causing loss of the jaw itself and facial disfigurement in the worst-case scenario. Even after women stop taking the drug, the jaw continues to deteriorate because the half-life of this class of drugs ranges from one to 10 years.

Despite the relatively small number of ONJ cases, especially from the pill form of the drug, a recent study from the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute found that these drugs nearly triple the risk of developing bone death or necrosis.

Because the study involved 88,000 Quebec residents, it was the largest to date. Done between 1996 and 2003, it also was first to study the connection between bone necrosis and bisphosphonates – Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva and Didrocal being the most common.

As a result of these recent research and medical reports, the American Association of Endodontists recently stated that all patients taking these drugs are at some risk.

What should women taking these drugs do?

• Report any exposed jawbone to your dentist immediately.

• Report pain or heaviness in the jaw to your dentist immediately.

• Report severe infections, swelling of the jaw or loosening of teeth to your dentist.

• Report any other bone pain to your doctor immediately.

These guidelines are especially important if you are in poor health or have receding gums or gum disease. They are also important if you drink alcohol, or are on chemotherapy or corticosteroids, including prednisone.

Even though good dental health helps protect women from many diseases, including heart attack, stroke and chronic lung problems, women on bone-building drugs should not have invasive dental surgery for three years after they stop the drugs.

This would include periodontal work such as gum surgery, tooth extractions, dental implants and other complex oral procedures.

Of women more than 50 years of age, about 55 percent are at risk of bone-thinning or osteopenia, not actual bone loss.

These women should weigh other risk factors, such as previous fractures, a family history of the condition, race, weight and smoking, before deciding what to do.

All women should consider adding ways of building bone mass, such as vitamin D3 and weight-lifting as well as calcium supplements, to their daily regimen.

Being aware of the risks will help women make better choices about using these drugs. By being conscious of the early warning signs, women who choose to take these medications can get the best of both worlds by better protecting themselves from these rare, but still significant, problems.

Although most cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw related to Fosamax side effects have occurred after dental work several cases have been reported to occur without any prior dental work. If you are currently taking Fosamax you may be at risk of developing osteonecrosis. If you have been injured by Fosamax side effects you may be entitled to compensation. For more information about your legal rights contact the Fosamax Attorneys of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today. If you or a loved one have experienced low energy femur fracture due to the use of Foasamax, call the Foasamax attorneys of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today or fill out our free case evaluation form on this page.