Long-term use of bisphosphonates can lead to atypical fractures, research claims

Long-term use of bisphosphonates is linked to an increased risk of atypical femoral fractures, said authors of a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs that prevent bone loss and are used to treat conditions like osteoporosis.

Dr. Dennis M. Black of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues tracked the health of women aged 50 and older who used bisphosphonates for 10 months. Over 270 atypical hip fractures were reported in 196,100 women. However, the risk of such injury increased with the duration of bisphosphonate administration. And the rejection of this class of drugs led to a rapid reduction in risks.

The researchers noted that in the early years of bisphosphonate use, reducing the risk of osteoporotic fractures was more important than the risk of atypical fracture.