Protecting Yourself from Osteoporosis Causing Medications

There are popular classes of medications that may cause or increase your risk of osteoporosis, physicians warn, citing well-known pharmaceutical sources. These medications are generally beneficial for the conditions that they are being prescribed for but their side-effects are something that an elderly patient needs to take note of, especially with the growing number of legal cases involving Merck and other bisphosphonate drug manufacturers.

 

Anticonvulsant medication like benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium etc.) , normally prescribed for epilepsy, may drastically increase the risk of osteoporosis in patients. In Spain, low calcium intake was one of the top two risk factors for osteoporosis along with benzodiazepine use. This is attributed to the increase of the hormone prolactin. Prolactin is normally regulated by dopamine which benzodiazepines suppress.

 

Higher levels of prolactin would inhibit the release of other hormones, including follicle stimulating hormones and luteinizing hormones, which are responsible for regulating and releasing the hormones, testosterone and estrogen, which are in turn essential to promoting bone health. 

 

Another study found that other mood altering medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), such as Zoloft and Prozac, have also been shown to cause bone loss. The study linked this class of medications with the highest adjusted odds of osteoporotic fractures – indicating an increased risk by as much as 45 percent.

 

These findings do not count similar effects from long-term corticosteroid use which has also been known to cause increased bone turnover and accounts as a leading cause for bisphosphonate prescriptions.

 

Experts recommend, citing numerous research studies, that people can actively manage their bone health even when taking these medications, often resulting in “stopping or even reversing” these complications. These treatments involve modifying a patient’s diet, physical exercise, and lifestyle habits to promote healthier outcomes for managing bone loss problems. Bisphosphonate therapy is not as popularly recommended by physicians as they once were due to several studies showing links to adverse reactions from prolonged use.

 

For more information on osteoporosis and bisphosphonates, you may read more updates on blogs and sites online. If you wish to know more about filing a Fosamax class action lawsuit, then there are other sources online which can help you in seeking the legal advice you need.

 

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