Patients and healthcare pros might have concerns about oral bisphosphonate medications and atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures &ndash fractures in the bone just beneath the hip joint. Oral bisphosphonates are typically prescribed to prevent or treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Typical brand names of medications in this class include Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Reclast. If you have taken fosamax you should speak to your health care provider to see if you are at risk for a fosamax femur fracture.

 

Latest news reports have raised the question about regardless of whether there is an increased danger of this type of fracture in patients with osteoporosis using these medicines. At this point, the information that FDA has reviewed have not shown a clear connection among bisphosphonate use and a danger of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures. FDA is working closely with outside professionals, including members of the recently convened American Society of Bone and Mineral Investigation Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture Job Force, to collect further details that may possibly offer more insight into this concern.

 

Based on published case reports of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures occurring in women with osteoporosis employing bisphosphonates, FDA, in June 2008, requested information from all bisphosphonate drug manufacturers concerning this prospective safety signal. All available case reports and clinical trial data were requested. FDA’s review of these data did not show an improve in this danger in women making use of these medicines.

 

In addition, FDA reviewed a December 2008 article in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Analysis by Abrahamsen et al¹, that analyzed information from two huge observational research in patients with osteoporosis. The authors concluded that atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures had several comparable features in frequent with classical osteoporotic hip fractures, such as patient age, gender, and trauma mechanism. The information showed that patients taking bisphosphonates and those not taking bisphosphonates had related numbers of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures relative to classical osteoporotic hip fractures. If you or someone you know has suffered a femur fracture after taking Fosamax, you or they may be eligible for a fosamax femur fracture lawsuit.

 

This communication is in keeping with FDA’s commitment to inform the public about its ongoing safety review of drugs. The agency will continue to assessment new info as it becomes available and will update the public once the agency’s review is total.

 

Healthcare pros must continue to adhere to the suggestions in the drug label when prescribing oral bisphosphonates. Patients really should not cease taking their medication unless told to do so by their healthcare expert. Patients must speak to their healthcare professional about any issues they have with these medications.

 

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