Patients and healthcare experts may possibly have questions about oral bisphosphonate medications and atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures &ndash fractures in the bone just below the hip joint. Oral bisphosphonates are generally prescribed to prevent or treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal girls. Frequent brand names of medications in this class contain Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Reclast. If you have taken fosamax you should speak to your health care provider to see if you are at risk for a fosamax femur fracture.

Recent news reports have raised the question about whether there is an elevated threat of this kind of fracture in patients with osteoporosis making use of these medicines. At this point, the information that FDA has reviewed have not shown a clear connection between bisphosphonate use and a risk of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures. FDA is operating closely with outside professionals, such as members of the lately convened American Society of Bone and Mineral Analysis Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture Activity Force, to collect further info that might give more insight into this problem.

Based on published case reports of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures occurring in women with osteoporosis using bisphosphonates, FDA, in June 2008, requested information from all bisphosphonate drug manufacturers concerning this prospective safety signal. All available case reports and clinical trial information were requested. FDA’s evaluation of these information did not show an boost in this danger in girls utilizing these medications.

In addition, FDA reviewed a December 2008 article in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Investigation by Abrahamsen et al¹, that analyzed data from two large observational scientific studies in patients with osteoporosis. The authors concluded that atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures had several related attributes in frequent with classical osteoporotic hip fractures, which includes patient age, gender, and trauma mechanism. The data showed that patients taking bisphosphonates and those not taking bisphosphonates had related numbers of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures relative to classical osteoporotic hip fractures. If you or someone you know has suffered a femur fracture after taking Fosamax, you or they may be eligible for a fosamax femur fracture lawsuit.

This communication is in keeping with FDA’s commitment to inform the public about its ongoing safety evaluation of drugs. The agency will continue to review new data as it becomes accessible and will update the public when the agency’s assessment is complete.

Healthcare professionals ought to continue to comply with the suggestions in the drug label when prescribing oral bisphosphonates. Patients must not cease taking their medication unless told to do so by their healthcare expert. Patients ought to talk to their healthcare expert about any concerns they have with these medicines.

Tags: fosamax femur fracture lawsuit, fosamax femure fracture