NPR

Wider Use Of Osteoporosis Drug Could Prevent Bone Fractures In More Elderly Women

A study involving 2,000 women age 65 and older found that a commonly used drug for osteoporosis could reduce the risk for broken bones in women at an earlier stage of bone thinning.
Osteoporosis specialists are considering wider use of a drug to strengthen bones in elderly women.

A large study has produced strong evidence that a drug commonly used to treat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis could safely prevent fractures in elderly women who have bones that aren't as weak.

The study of 2,000 women age 65 and older at earlier stages of bone loss — a condition known as osteopenia — found the drug zoledronate reduced by about one-third the risk they would suffer a break.

"This is an, a Columbia University medical professor who specializes in thinning bones and wasn't involved in the study. "We now know that we have a therapy that has been shown to be highly effective."

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