BACKGROUND Bisphosphonates reduce the overall risk of fractures among patients with osteoporosis, and this beneficial effect is long-lasting. However, since bisphosphonates inhibit bone remodeling, they may enhance the formation and propagation of micro-cracks over time and patients may therefore be prone to atypical fatigue fractures, mainly in the subtrochanteric region and femoral shaft. O...

QUESTION Several of my female patients take bisphosphonates for low bone mineral density (BMD). Two of them are of reproductive age. Are these drugs safe during pregnancy? ANSWER Very little is currently known about the effects of bisphosphonates on human pregnancy. There have been only two reports of bisphosphonate use during late pregnancy. Animal studies suggest that biphosphonates cross t...

Menatetrenone (vitamin K2) reduces the incidence of vertebral fractures but has only modest effects on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Combined treatment with bisphosphonates and menatetrenone may be more effective than treatment with bisphosphonates alone in preventing vertebral fractures, despite the lack of an additive effect of menatetrenone on the BMD ...

Researchers are still trying to understand why ONJ occurs. One theory is as follows: Bisphosphonates accumulate in bone. Removal of teeth or other dental surgery can release large concentrations of these drugs to the surrounding mucosal tissue of the mouth. These tissues are sensitive to bisphosphonates and are weakened when exposed to these medications. Indeed, lab research suggests that bisph...

M e t h o d s Data sources: 7 databases, scientific proceedings, and abstracts of professional associations. Study selection and assessment: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included patients who had bone metastases with or without pain at enrollment, measured pain as an outcome, allowed antineoplastic therapy or rescue pain medications (if available to all patients), and compared bisph...

Patients with advanced cancers--particularly breast and prostate cancers--are at high risk for bone metastasis, leading to accelerated bone resorption and clinically significant skeletal morbidity. Bisphosphonates are effective inhibitors of bone resorption and reduce the risk of skeletal complications in patients with bone metastases. The standard routes of administration for bisphosphonates u...

INTRODUCTION Bisphosphonates are the most commonly used drugs for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Although a recent FDA review of the results of clinical trials reported no clear link between bisphosphonates and serious or non-serious atrial fibrillation (AF), some epidemiologic studies have suggested an association between AF and bisphosphonates. METHODS We conducted a meta-ana...

BACKGROUND Sub optimal levels of compliance and persistence with bisphosphonates are potentially compromising the reduction of post menopausal osteoporotic (PMO) fracture risk. METHODS A structured literature search (1990-2006) was performed to identify primary research studies evaluating the relationship between compliance and persistence with bisphosphonates and post menopausal osteoporotic...

Bisphosphonates are important inhibitors of osteoclastic bone resorption seen in patients with bone metastases associated with malignancy. Bisphosphonates are used in the treatment of patients with bone metastases and have been shown to reduce skeletal-related events and symptoms, contributing to improved patient outcomes and quality of life. These agents first were approved in the treatment of...