Oral osteoporosis medications 'do not cause jaw bone death'
A report has suggested that oral osteoporosis medications do not increase a patient's risk of 'bone death' in the jaw.
In 2007, reports emerged that bisphosphonate (bone-building) drugs like alendronate, risedronate sodium and ibandronic acid could cause people with osteoporosis to suffer from jaw degradation, also known as avascular necrosis. In this condition the bone loses its blood supply and the bone tissue dies, causing the bone to disintegrate.
However, Dr Athanasios Zavras, from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, examined the reported cases and has now published his conclusions in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
In total, Dr Zavras analysed the medical claims of 714,217 people. He concluded that that oral osteoporosis medications seem to reduce the risk of jaw degradation rather than add to it.
"Our findings on intravenous bisphosphonates are consistent with the literature, which makes me confident that our findings on oral bisphosphonates are correct," explained Dr Zavras.
"We're currently recruiting patients for a clinical study to confirm them."
However, the team did find that receiving intravenous bisphosphonates significantly increased an individual's risk of adverse jaw outcomes in both cancer patients and those with osteoporosis.
An Arthritis Research Campaign spokeswoman said the Harvard report offered welcome reassurance to the many thousands of people with osteoporosis taking bisphosphonates.
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