Home » Health and Fitness Articles » Fosamax and Other Bisphosphonates Linked to Femoral Fractures and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
Fosamax and Other Bisphosphonates Linked to Femoral Fractures and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
The attorneys of Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP are currently investigating these dangerous drugs.
May 12, 2011 /Health and Fitness PR News/ -- The Spangenberg law firm (1-877-696-3303) reports that there is new research linking bisphosphonate use with severe bone breaks including femur (thighbone) fractures. The New England Journal of Medicine ("NEJM") published an article on May 5, 2011 linking bisphosphonates (an osteoporosis class of drugs including Fosamax, Boniva, and Reclast) to an increased risk of an atypical femur fracture.
The researchers state that because bisphosphonates reduce bone remodeling, they might "freeze" the skeleton, allowing accumulation of microcracks over time, leading to stress fractures. Stress fractures occur at sites with high tensional stress, such as the lateral cortex of the proximal femoral shaft; this site corresponds to the locations of reported bisphosphonate-associated atypical fractures (1).
Femoral fractures can be devastating injuries, as the femur (or thigh bone) is a vital bone that rarely breaks absent more serious impact trauma like a car accident. To break the thighbone across its length (shaft)--the type of femur fracture typically associated with Fosamax use--usually takes an even greater amount of force. Activities that might result in a Fosamax-related femur fracture include walking down steps, sitting or standing, and walking (2).
The NEJM article found the increased risk of an "atypical" fracture in bisphosphonate-using women age 55 and older. Specifically, they report that:
The risk of an atypical fracture was higher with an increasing duration of bisphosphonate use, with an odds ratio of 1.3 per 100 prescribed daily doses. This risk was approximately 10 times as high as a normal level of risk within the first 2 years of use and 50 times as high thereafter.
Most atypical fractures associated with bisphosphonate use occurred within 1 year after the last prescription. There was a 70% reduction in risk for every year since the last use. The risk reduction was similar if the bisphosphonates had been prescribed for less than 2 years or for 2 years or more.
Moreover, the researchers reported that "the women who sustained atypical fractures did not appear to be especially frail. They had a lower frequency of previous osteoporotic fractures than the controls."
Bisphosphonates accumulate on fracture surfaces immediately after dosing. It is conceivable that ongoing bisphosphonate treatment blocks targeted remodeling of cracks, which can grow and cause a stress fracture. This implies the long-lasting protective effect after bisphosphonate withdrawal is not associated with a similarly lasting risk of atypical fracture.
The researchers included Dr. Per Aspenberg, who reports receiving consulting fees from Eli Lilly and Amgen, as well as holding stock in AddBIO, a company trying to commercialize a method for bisphosphonate coating of implants to be inserted in bone, and holding a patent for this method. Eli Lilly is not a bisphosphonate manufacturer as of this writing.
Bisphosphonate-class osteoporosis drugs and their manufacturers include:
- Fosamax - manufactured by Merck & Company
- Reclast and Zometa - manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals
- Boniva - manufactured by Roche and GlaxoSmithKline
- Skelid - manufactured by Sanofi Pharmaceuticals
- Actonel - manufactured by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi Pharmaceuticals
- Didronel - manufactured by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals
The FDA has reported on the alarming incidences of femur fractures for long-term Fosamax users. The Spangenberg law firm has provided information on potential Fosamax lawsuits at www.my-fosamax-lawsuit.com. The website provides information on Fosamax femur fractures and other possibly Fosamax-related injuries. The Spangenberg law firm can also be reached at 1-877-696-3303.
Patients suffering from this type of injury after taking Fosamax should consult with a Fosamax injury attorney soon to evaluate whether they have a Fosamax-related potential legal claim. There may be a statute of limitations clock running, which limits the time period in which you can file a lawsuit.
Other potential Fosamax-related injuries include:
- Esophageal Cancer.(3) A recent study, published by the British Medical Journal, indicates that long-term users of Fosamax may face a double risk of esophageal (throat) cancer. Esophageal cancer is cancer that occurs in the esophagus--the tube that runs from the throat to the stomach. Patients in the study who took the drug were exposed to throat cancer at an approximate rate of 2-in-1,000, versus the standard risk of 1-in-1,000.
- Jawbone Fosamax Injuries.(4) Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), also referred to as "Dead Jaw," is a type of bone disease that is linked to a temporary or permanent blood restriction to the affected bone(s) which results in death of bone tissue and an eventual collapse of the bone. ONJ-Fosamax injuries may begin with pain or numbness in the jaw region, and then progress to a loosening of the teeth, frequent infection of the area, and degradation of the jawbone.
- Heart Condition Fosamax Injuries (Atrial Fibrillation).(5) Use of Fosamax may also double women's risk of developing the chronic heart condition known as atrial fibrillation, which causes a recurring irregular heartbeat. A recent report found that women taking Fosamax were at a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation than those not on Fosamax.
Spangenberg attorneys are willing to provide no-cost, confidential case reviews for Fosamax patients who have had any of these injuries. You can reach a Spangenberg Fosamax-injury attorney at www.my-fosamax-lawsuit.com/contact or by calling 1-877-696-3303 (toll-free). Spangenberg Shibley & Liber is a law firm with a national dangerous drugs practice headquartered in Ohio.
FOSAMAX is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. No ownership of this trademark is claimed or implied by this article.
(1) N Engl J Med 2011;364:1728-37
(2) http://journals.lww.com/jorthotrauma/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2008&issue=05000&article=00011&type=abstract
(3) BMJ 2010;341:c4444
(4) http://www.joms.org/article/S0278-2391(09)00441-8/abstract
(5) http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OSHG3O1&show_article=1
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Stuart Scott
Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
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