Are osteoporosis medications safe for an 80-year-old woman?

Question

Hello doctor,

My mother is 80 years old and was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis after a minor fall caused her to fracture her wrist. Her doctor recommends starting bone-thinning medications, but she is scared after reading online about potential jaw problems and unusual fractures associated with these drugs.

Should an 80-year-old take bone-thinning medications for osteoporosis?

She already struggles with arthritis and balance issues, so I worry that another fall could be much more serious.

Please guide.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I am sorry to hear about your discomfort.

I understand why this situation feels worrying for both of you, especially after seeing your mother suffer a fracture at her age. For an 80-year-old, treatment for osteoporosis is often very important.

However, the real problem isn't typically the medication, but rather the possibility of breaking another bone, which can be either a hip or spine bone.

There are drugs used to treat osteoporosis, like bisphosphonates, which work by making the bones stronger and thus less likely to suffer from another breakage. There was talk about some possible side effects like osteonecrosis of the jaw and some rare thigh fractures; however, the danger is much less than the high risk of serious osteoporotic fractures among the elderly who have bad balance and have broken bones before.

Physicians consider all the pros and cons of such treatment, and when a person has already suffered from a fragility fracture, the treatment should be taken because the bones have already shown their vulnerability.

It's extremely important to not only take medications, but also protect against falls. You should check her vision, make her environment safer, provide her with appropriate shoes, treat possible vitamin D deficiencies, make sure that she gets enough calcium and protein, and review the medicines which cause dizziness and imbalance.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Thank you.