Osteoporosis therapy ‘can greatly reduce fragility fracture risks’

A new study has demonstrated the potentially significant positive impact that osteoporosis therapy can have in reducing the chances of fragility fractures in at-risk patients.

The research has indicated that antiosteoporotic therapy – a treatment intended to increase bone mineral density and prevent bone tissue loss – can decrease the risk of subsequent fractures by 40 percent.

Over a three-year period, researchers studied 31,069 patients who were 50 years of age or older and had sustained a fragility fracture, showing that the therapy was able to prevent a subsequent fracture in one out of every 27 patients treated.

The greatest reduction was seen in secondary upper arm fractures at 52 percent, followed by a 50 percent fall in wrist fractures, 43 percent for spine fractures and 34 percent for hip fractures.

Dr Harpreet Bawa, lead study author and an orthopaedic surgeon at the University of Chicago Medical Center, said: "This knowledge can help patients make an informed decision about their treatment options after a first-time fragility fracture."