One of the lesser known risk factors of taking the bisphosphonate class of osteoporosis drugs is osteonecrosis of the jaw bone (ONJ). Osteonecrosis is, quite literally, death of the bone cells. Previous studies already suggested that patients taking bisphosphonates, such as Fosomax, were at increased risk of developing ONJ, but this study shows that the side effect may be more common than had previously been suggested, even with short term use of the drugs since the drugs take so long to leave bone tissue (once stopped it takes 10 years for drug levels to halve). Researchers at University of Southern California’s School of Dentistry say of the 208 patients they identified for the study as having used Fosamax, nine of them had ONJ. That is a significant 4% of patients. The researchers are hoping that further studies will confirm their findings so that more physicians and dentists will be encouraged to speak to their patients regarding this potentially severe side effect.
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Tags: bisphosphonate, bone, Dentistry, fosamax, jaw, osteonecrosis, side effect
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
January 6th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
This is exactly what happened to me. I was taking Actonel and my jar began to like, snap. I was very concerned but my doctor did not even think of this as unusual or heaven forbid, a side effect of the drug. She kept prescribing it but I did not get the prescription filled. I’m not usually like that, but I sensed that this with my jaw was not right. I’m nearly 67, standing erect, have not lost height and feeling great! Goodbye, Actonel.
January 6th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I was taking Actonel, and start having trouble with my jaw, my daughter told me she read ,not to take it was dangerous, so I stop taking and now I take vitamin D, and calcium,I feel better than before, I agree with the lady, some drugs are dangerous, and our personal phisicians aren;t taking the time to educated themselves, they putting their patients in dangerous,
Thank you for this articule, I know now, my daughter was right, and I did the right thing,
Thank you.
Ruth G, Thompson
January 6th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I refused to take the medications my doctor tried to make me take for osteoporosis diagnosed at 70.
By doing research, I learned to apply Progestrone Cream (purchased on web) to various parts of my body for 25 days, then stop for 5 days. I joined Curves for upper body strength exercise and Iwalk. I take the regimen of an alcalizer and bone density capsules recommended by Dr. Susan Lark (on web). I don’t know which of these regimens is responsible, but I no longer have osteoporosis at 72.
The first year of my own regimen, I reversed osteoporosis to osteopena. This past year, I gained 8% bone mass by continuing what I was doing.
You don’t need to put yourself and your health in peril by taking these dangerous drugs, pushed on you by doctors who don’t bother to do research on what they prescribe, not listen to their patients who do.
January 6th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Previously it was prescribed, then what was reason for becoming dangerous for the bone. Is an exceptional things generated in the body beound the nature? Who is responsible for prescribing the ostoporosis drugs and where the suffered patient will ask for the cost of damaged body parts?