Positive and negative
Doctors often tell us that all medicines have down sides, but usually the benefits outweigh the risks. This isn’t true for all medicines, take chemotherapy for example, but we may still choose to carry on with some treatments in the hope it’ll enhance our wellbeing. Osteoporosis is a condition that can have a large impact on our lives, especially if we suffer from falls that result in fractures, disability and loss of independence. Doctors usually concentrate on preventing falls by coaching us on how we can try to preserve bone mineral density with diet and exercise, as well as medication. Sometimes, we only know we have osteoporosis after we’ve broken a bone, then had a bone mineral density test – which means we may be more reliant on medicine to help tackle the syndrome.
Past studies
Bisphosphonates are often prescribed for osteoporosis, but they also come with side effects. The reason they work so well for osteoporosis is because they actually increase BMD, in fracture-prone areas, like the spine and neck. In previous studies the drug has been linked with cancer of the gullet and stomach, as well as other wellbeing maladies, like tummy pain and headaches. But, a recent review of data held by the UK General Practice Research Database of 80,000 people taking the drug indicates that there is no increased risk of gullet or stomach cancer associated with the medicine. The research examined cancer rates in people who had taken bisphosphonates for over four years. This can give us peace of mind regarding some of the long-term side effects of the medication.