The dangers and benefits of using antiresorptive medicine

Antiresorptive medicines are used to help prevent bone density loss and conditions such as osteoporosis. One of the more popular antiresorptive drug groups are bisphosphonates. Because bisphosphonates have been linked to serious injuries in long-term users, Weitz & Luxenberg would like to provide you with some helpful information about antiresorptive treatment.

How do antiresorptive medicines work?

Imagine a factory full of workers. The factory is profitable and many people are lining up for a job there. The factory has a policy where as soon as a worker reaches the age of 55, he or she retires. The boss, then instantly replaces the retired worker with someone new. The changeover is seamless, and business continues as usual. This is the process that is happening to your bones constantly. Only instead of workers, they are bone cells. As one bone cell dies, it is instantly resorbed into the body and a new bone cell replaces it.

Now, imagine that it has been many years and there are not as many people lining up for a job at this factory. Once one employee retires, there may be several days for that position to be filled. In this time, business slows down. This is what happens to our bones as we grow old. By the age of thirty, everyone experiences a certain amount of bone density loss due to the fact that bone cells are dying and being resorbed faster than new cells can replace them.

Antiresorptive medicines, such as Fosamax, delay the resorbing of dead bone cells. So, if we go back to the factory analogy – imagine that the boss changes the retirement age from 55 to 65. Now, the boss has more time to find new employees to fill the positions of retired employees (Medscape.com)(WebMD.com).

What ailments to antiresorptive medicine help?

Antiresorptive medicine helps bone conditions such as:

Osteoporosis
Osteopenia
Paget’s disease

What is the harm of taking antiresorptive medicine?

Bisphosphonates is a group of antiresorptive drugs that have been known to cause severe injuries after long-term use. These injuries include:

Brittle bones
Femur fractures
Osteonecrosis of the jaw
Esophageal cancer

Studies show that bisphosphonates really only provide protection for the first five years of taking them. After five years, you are just as likely to sustain a bone fracture while taking the drugs as you are having stopped taking the drug. For instance, if John is 50 years old and Amanda is also 50 years old, and John takes a bisphosphonate for ten years and Amanda takes the same bisphosphonate for only five years, John and Amanda will have the same likelihood of sustaining a bone fracture after ten years (course.washington.edu). In addition, bisphosphonates cause femur fractures, which are particularly painful and require a long recovery time. So, by the time John and Amanda are 60 years old, John’s bones could be in a worse condition than Amanda’s despite the fact that Amanda went off her medication five years prior.

What can Weitz & Luxenberg do to help?

Weitz & Luxenberg is a highly educated and resourceful law firm which aims to help people that have sustained femur fractures from taking Fosamax (a popular antiresorptive medicine). Those that have sustained femur fractures after taking Fosamax have the right to pursue legal compensation for their losses.

To get started, simply fill out the form on this page. After submitting the form, a representative will be in touch to provide you with a free, no obligation, legal consultation.

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/bisphosphonates-for-osteoporosis

http://courses.washington.edu/bonephys/opbis.html#long

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/472682

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List of Bisphosphonates

List of medications in the bisphosphonate group: information and resources
Detailed list of bisphosphonate medications including the controversial drug Fosamax

Antiresorptive medicine

Antiresorptive medicine puts you at risk of serious injuries: information and resources
The serious risks of taking antiresorptive medicine such as Fosamax

Bisphosphonates Information

Bisphosphonates: information and resources on a dangerous drug group
Information and resources on the dangerous drug group bisphosphonates

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