Citation

Rowe A, Zamora E, Pearson T (2019) Osteoporosis: Bisphosphonate Therapy in Postmenopausal Women. J Fam Med Dis Prev 5:106. doi.org/10.23937/2469-5793/1510106

Copyright

© 2019 Rowe A, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

CASE REPORT | OPEN ACCESS DOI: 10.23937/2469-5793/1510106

Osteoporosis: Bisphosphonate Therapy in Postmenopausal Women

Amber Rowe, Erin Zamora* and Tamera Pearson

Western Carolina University, USA

Abstract

Osteoporosis is the deterioration of bone tissue and strength, which leads to an increased risk of fractures. Postmenopausal women are at increased risk for osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates have long been the mainstay of osteoporosis treatment to prevent fractures, especially hip fractures by increasing bone mineral density. Extending treatment to up to 10 years is currently recommended. In lieu of possible adverse events such as atypical fractures and osteonecrosis of the jaw, drug holidays are an important consideration although research is currently inconclusive. Providers need to consider individual patient factors and tailor treatment to individual patient circumstances.