Report Summarizes Effectiveness of Drugs To Treat Osteoporosis

A new AHRQ-supported report summarizes the effects of long-term osteoporosis drug treatments in postmenopausal women aged 50 years and older and shows two therapies—alendronate and zoledronic acid—can reduce fracture risk. The evidence review also demonstrates that long-term bisphosphonate treatment beyond three to five years may reduce risk for vertebral fractures, but increases the risk for rare adverse events, such as osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femoral fracture. Based on nearly 50 studies from 1995 to 2018, the review also concludes that long-term hormone therapy reduces hip fracture risks but can lead to serious harms. Access the report and the abstract to an Annals of Internal Medicine article based on the review. This report was conducted in partnership with the NIH Office of Disease Prevention for the Pathways to Prevention workshop: Appropriate Use of Drug Therapies for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention. An independent panel also developed a companion article to summarize gaps in knowledge and recommend areas for new research. A commentary piece accompanies both reports in the April 23 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.