Bisphosphonates Linked to Painful Jaw Decay, Health Canada Warns
Some drugs commonly used to prevent and treat osteoporosis can cause a painful and irreversible decay in the jaw in rare cases.
Health Canada is adding new warnings to the medications, called bisphosphonates, which are taken to protect and strengthen bone.
In rare cases, first described three years ago, bisphosphonates can cause jaw bones to rot and die.
Jaw necrosis affects up to 10 per cent of people of people who take bisphosphonate drugs, experts. say. Most have metastatic cancer and have been injected with potent drugs to protect their bones.
Gwen Davis-Wells, 62, who has multiple myeloma and takes the bisphosphonate drug Aredia to protect her bones, said she was shocked when doctors told her they thought the drug was causing the problem with her jaw bone.
Source: cbc.ca
Whoa, have to be careful now about prescribing bisphosphonate. I guess, milk and calcium supplement are probably the better alternatives, unless they are refractory to the patient.
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Dani said,
October 4, 2006
So, there ya go, I am tossing the ball and asking someone else to toss it back with an answer or suggestion for research. Help me please. Thank you.
Ladyofidaho