How Long Is Too Long for Osteoporosis Treatment?

FEATURED SEARCH TERM:   osteoporosis


We don’t know enough about the consequences to bone mass when a patient with osteoporosis discontinues anti-resorptive therapy, observes an international team of experts in this review, and the effects of discontinuation differ depending on whether or not the drug is a bisphosphonate. They call for head-to-head studies comparing the two types of drugs, and (insofar as osteoporosis is a chronic disorder of aging and long-term therapy is taken for granted), targeted studies that define what happens when treatment stops.


RESULT: Postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment with antiresorptives: Effects of discontinuation or long-term continuation on bone turnover and fracture risk—a perspective
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research  | May 1, 2012 (FREE FULL TEXT)


A doctor from a bone clinic in Italy raised a related concern last year at an international congress on arthritis and bone disorders. The bulk of the research supports long-term use of antiresorptives, he pointed out, but concerns have arisen about rare adverse effects including esophageal cancer and rare fractures. Research is needed to determine when to consider a drug-free holiday and for how long, he said. 


RESULT: Long-term osteoporosis treatment: myth or reality?
Arthritis Research & Therapy | Mar 8, 2012 (FREE FULL TEXT)