Bisphosphonates 'increase the risk of jaw disease'

A class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat osteoporosis increase the risk of developing jaw disease, according to research.

Bisphosphonates such as alendronate have been known to increase the risk of osteonecrosis, in which blood supply to bone is cut off, causing it to die.

However, researchers from the University of Southern California believe that the risk is higher than what was originally thought.

In a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, the scientists examined data of a number of alendronate users.

Results showed that nine out of 208 patients taking the drug, or who had taken it previously, were being treated for osteonecrosis of the jaw.

The researchers concluded: "The findings from this study indicated that even short-term oral use of alendronate led to osteonecrosis of the jaw in a subset of patients after certain dental procedures were performed.

"These findings have important therapeutic and preventive implications."

A spokesman for the Arthritis Research Campaign said the new findings were worrying and called on clinicians to take note of the study.

"The subsets of patients at risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw need to be identified, and possibly offered an alternative treatment," he added.

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