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Calcium Supplements May Be Bad for Your Heart: Study

Posted 4 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, May 23 – Many older Americans take calcium supplements to prevent bone loss, but they may be significantly increasing their risk for a heart attack, a new study suggests. These supplements do not help prevent heart attacks or stroke as some previous research has suggested, the study authors say. But dietary calcium might reduce the risk, they noted. "While a moderately high intake of calcium from diet may go along with a lower risk of heart attack, this is not true for supplementary calcium intake," said lead researcher Sabine Rohrmann, from the division of cancer epidemiology and prevention at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. "Instead of taking calcium supplements, men and women who want to increase their calcium intake should rely on foods, such as low-fat dairy products or mineral water, [that are] rich in ... Read more

More Research Points to Long-Term Ills With Bone Drugs

Posted 7 days ago by Drugs.com

MONDAY, May 21 – Adding more weight to concerns about possible long-term dangers of osteoporosis drugs, a new study finds that people who take the drugs, known as bisphosphonates, may be at increased risk for atypical fractures of the thigh bone (femur). Osteoporosis is a bone-thinning disease that is common in older women. An atypical femoral fracture is an unusual type of break that often occurs spontaneously, without any major leg injury. In the new study, Swiss researchers looked at 477 patients, aged 50 and older, who were hospitalized with a femoral fracture. Of those patients, 39 had atypical fractures and 438 had a classic fracture (a more common fracture with a typical pattern). These groups were compared with 200 people without femoral fractures. The findings were published online May 21 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. The investigators found that 82 percent of ... Read more

Early Menopause Tied to Osteoporosis in 29-Year Study

Posted 25 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 25 – Women who go through menopause early are almost twice as likely to have the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis later in life, new research indicates. In addition, researchers from the Skane University Hospital in Malmo, Sweden, noted that these women are also at greater risk for fracture and an increased death rate. For the study, the researchers recruited 390 white women from northern Europe in 1977. The women, who were 48 years old at that time, were divided into two groups: those who went through menopause before the age of 47; and those who started menopause at age 47 or later. The women were followed for roughly three decades. All of the women had their bone mineral density measured. After 29 years, only 198 women remained in the study due to deaths, relocation or lack of participation. By this point, the women were 77 years old. The researchers re-measured ... Read more

Osteoporosis Drugs May Lead to Eye Trouble: Study

Posted 2 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 2 – First-time users of osteoporosis drugs called oral bisphosphonates may be at increased risk for serious inflammatory eye disease, a new study contends. Oral bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax and Actonel, are the most commonly prescribed class of drugs to prevent or slow osteoporosis, a disease that causes very weak bones. Previous studies have linked the drugs to problems such as unusual fractures, irregular heartbeat and esophageal and colon cancer. In addition, some case reports have shown an association between the drugs and inflammatory eye diseases – anterior uveitis and scleritis – that can cause serious vision impairment. In this new study, Canadian researchers compared nearly 11,000 first-time users of oral bisphosphonates and more than 920,000 non-users. First-time users had incidence rates of 29 per 10,000 person-years for uveitis and 63 per 10,000 ... Read more

Generic Boniva Approved for Osteoporosis

Posted 19 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 19 – The first generic versions of the once-monthly osteoporosis drug Boniva (ibandronate) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Osteoporosis, characterized by a thinning of the bones, is the most common type of bone disease, the agency said in a news release Monday. More common in postmenopausal women, it increases the risk of fracture, especially of the hip, spine and wrist. More than 40 million people in the United States have the disease or are at significant risk for it, the FDA said. Approvals to produce generic Boniva have been granted to: Apotex Inc., Orchid Healthcare and Mylan Pharmaceuticals. Generic drugs are medically equivalent to the brand-name versions and are subject to the same quality standards, the agency said. Generic Boniva will be accompanied by a guide that explains potential serious reactions, including esophagus problems; ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Boniva, Prevention of Osteoporosis, Ibandronate, Bondronat

Some Women Can Go Longer Between Bone Checks: Study

Posted 18 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18 – New research suggests that older women who've had a normal result on a bone density scan – a test that helps measure the strength of their bones – may be able to wait as long as 15 years before getting another scan. However, women who show any abnormal loss of bone generally need follow-up scans much sooner than that, the study authors noted. "Women who had good T-scores, who were in the top category, had such stable bones. It took about 15 years for 10 percent of them to develop osteoporosis," said study author Dr. Margaret Gourlay, an assistant professor in the department of family medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "But, if you start off with thinner bones, it takes less time to develop osteoporosis," said Gourlay. T-scores are a measure of bone health, where current bone scans are compared to the expected bone density of a healthy ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Prevention of Osteoporosis

Vitamin D Helps Bone Health Only With Calcium: Report

Posted 19 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Dec. 19 – A new analysis on the effects of vitamin D on bone health shows that it cuts fracture risk in older adults, but only when taken with calcium supplements. The review of nearly 50 studies on vitamin D – present in a small number of foods and produced naturally in the skin with sun exposure – by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) also indicates that it's too soon to tell if vitamin D supplements can help prevent cancer. Report author Mei Chung, assistant director of the Evidence-based Practice Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said she wasn't able to advise specific recommended doses based on the review, which concluded that a daily vitamin D regimen of between 300 and 1,100 international units (IUs) combined with 500 to 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium reduces fracture risk in those over 65. "I think vitamin D likely has more benefits than we ... Read more

Whole-Body Vibration Doesn't Build Bone After All: Study

Posted 15 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 15 – A novel treatment known as whole-body vibration doesn't appear to improve the bone health of postmenopausal women who are at high risk of developing osteoporosis. The treatment – which involves standing on a motorized, vibrating platform in the hope of building bone mass – showed promise in animals. But researchers, who hoped those results might translate to humans, found no benefit for women who used the platforms for a year, said study co-author Angela M. Cheung, an internist and director of the osteoporosis program at the University Health Network, University of Toronto. "People should use strategies that have been proven" to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis, Cheung said. These include exercise and calcium and vitamin D supplements, she said. The vibrating platform "doesn't do anything, not for bone anyway," she added. The theory behind whole-body vibration is ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Prevention of Osteoporosis

With Calcium, More May Not Be Better

Posted 24 May 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 24 – Getting enough calcium for bone health is essential, but getting more than that doesn't appear to confer any additional benefit, Swedish researchers have found. With age, bones start to lose calcium, their major building block. This puts older people, especially women, at risk for fractures and osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become fragile and break easily. To help prevent these devastating injuries, women with a low intake of calcium should increase their intake to avoid fractures caused by osteoporosis, "while women with a satisfactory intake should not," said lead researcher Eva Warensjo, a researcher in the department of surgical sciences section of orthopedics at Uppsala University. "Dietary intake of less than 700 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day was associated with a higher risk of both fractures and osteoporosis, while higher intakes did not ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Prevention of Osteoporosis, Prevention of Fractures

Women Taking Calcium Supplements May Risk Heart Health, Researchers Say

Posted 20 Apr 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, April 19 – More evidence is emerging that women who take calcium supplements to prevent bone deterioration may, in fact, be risking their heart health. But even when added to previous studies with similar findings, the new conclusions don't necessarily mark a death knell for calcium supplements, say the authors of a study released online April 19 in the BMJ. "There is a lack of consensus at the present time as to what recommendations should be regarding the use of calcium supplements," said study senior author Dr. Ian Reid, who fully expected that the new results will have a "significant impact on recommendations." "Our own recommendation is to critically review the use of calcium supplements, since the data in this paper suggests that they do more harm than good," added Reid, who is professor of medicine and endocrinology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. "The ... Read more

Related support groups: Prevention of Osteoporosis

Nitroglycerin Ointment Might Strengthen Bones

Posted 23 Feb 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Feb. 22 – Nitroglycerin ointment, usually prescribed to relieve chest pain, may also counter bone loss, a new study suggests. As the population ages, the number of women with osteoporosis is increasing. Nitroglycerin appears to increase bone density and prevent bone loss, and it may have advantages over newer and more costly drugs, the researchers noted. "Nitrates are widely available and inexpensive," said lead researcher Dr. Sophie A. Jamal, an assistant professor of medicine at Women's College Research Institute and University of Toronto. "Our study demonstrates that nitrates are able to increase bone size and strength, which may reduce the incidence of fractures worldwide." However, whether or not this treatment actually reduces fractures is unknown. "These are promising early findings. Further, larger studies need to be done to confirm our findings and to determine if ... Read more

New Osteoporosis Screening Recommendations Issued

Posted 18 Jan 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Jan. 17 – The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has just expanded its osteoporosis screening recommendation to include younger women who have risk factors for the debilitating disease, which causes bones to become abnormally brittle and prone to fracture. The newly released guidelines expand routine screening to include all women 65 and older as well as younger women at increased risk of bone fractures. "This [new recommendation] extends it down to any postmenopausal-age woman whose risk is the same as a 65-year-old," said Dr. Ned Calonge, chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). One example, he said, might be a postmenopausal woman not yet 65 who weighs under 125 pounds, smokes, drinks and has parents with a history of bone fractures. All of those factors – thin frame, smoking, excess alcohol and family history – boost the risk of osteoporosis, he ... Read more

Related support groups: Prevention of Osteoporosis, Prevention of Fractures

Tummy Fat May Threaten Women's Bones

Posted 30 Nov 2010 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 30 – Not only does extra weight around the middle increase a woman's risk of heart disease and diabetes, new research suggests it also ups a woman's risk of developing osteoporosis. In a study of 50 premenopausal women of various sizes, Harvard researchers found that women who had more fat around the abdomen were more likely to have lower bone mineral density, which can eventually lead to osteoporosis. "All fat isn't the same. Tummy fat has a damaging effect on bone health," said the study's lead author, Dr. Miriam Bredella, a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Bredella was slated to present the findings Tuesday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago. As many as 10 million Americans, most of them women, have osteoporosis, according to the U.S. ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Prevention of Osteoporosis

Fewer Bone Screens May Be OK for Some Older Women

Posted 18 Oct 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Oct. 18 – Older women may be able to safely avoid getting bone density tests for 10 years if their previous screening scores didn't show signs of problems, a new study suggests. "If a woman's bone density at age 67 is very good, then she doesn't need to be re-screened in two years or three years, because we're not likely to see much change," study lead author Dr. Margaret L. Gourlay of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, said in a university news release. "Our study found it would take about 16 years for 10 percent of women in the highest bone density ranges to develop osteoporosis. That was longer than we expected, and it's great news for this group of women," Gourlay added. In 2002, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force began recommending that women aged 65 and older start routine screening for osteoporosis, but no time interval for screening ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Prevention of Osteoporosis

Prior Fractures Could Raise Older Women's Odds for Osteoporosis

Posted 23 Aug 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Aug. 23 – Older women who suffered bone fractures earlier in life may be at higher risk for osteoporosis today, a new study suggests. When these women develop osteoporosis, their loss in health-related quality of life becomes similar to that experienced by people with arthritis, lung disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, said the international team of researchers. The findings are from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW), led by the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It includes women in 10 countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The team interviewed 60,000 women over the age of 55. They found that 90 percent of those with fractures suffered more pain, depression, mobility problems, or anxiety. Spine, hip, and upper leg fractures resulted in the ... Read more

Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Prevention of Osteoporosis, Prevention of Fractures

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Loestrin 24 Fe, Boniva, Fosamax, Microgestin Fe 1/20, alendronate, Actonel, Evista, Reclast, Necon 1/35, view more... Femhrt, Junel Fe 1/20, Microgestin FE 1.5/30, Climara Pro, Loestrin 1/20, Femcon FE, zoledronic acid, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7, Necon 7/7/7, Tilia Fe, Estrostep Fe, Jinteli, ibandronate, Ortho-Novum 1/35, risedronate, Loestrin Fe 1/20, Nortrel 7/7/7, Microgestin 1/20, Ovcon 35, raloxifene, Tri-Legest Fe, Binosto, Zeosa, Microgestin 1.5/30, Leena, Junel Fe 1.5/30, Jevantique, Prefest, Modicon, Ortho-Prefest, Ovcon 35 Fe, Wera, Briellyn, Junel 1/20, Nortrel 0.5/35, Junel 1.5/30, Tri-Legest, Tri-Norinyl, Genora 1/35, Norethin 1/35 E, Loestrin 21 1/20, Nelova 0.5/35, Genora 0.5/35, estradiol/levonorgestrel, estradiol/norgestimate, ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone, Loestrin 21 1.5/30, Loestrin Fe 1.5/30, Ovcon 50, Jenest, Nortrel 1/35, Necon 10/11, Necon 0.5/35, Nelova 10/11, Nelova 1/35, Ortho-Novum 10/11