Risedronate for the primary and secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women

Wells GA, Cranney A, Peterson J, Boucher M, Shea B, Welch V, Coyle D, Tugwell P

Summary

Risedronate for preventing fractures caused by osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

This summary of a Cochrane review, presents what we know from research about the effect of Risedronate for preventing fractures (broken bones) caused by osteoporosis.

In women who have already been diagnosed with low bone density putting them at risk for fracture or have already had a fracture in the bones of their spine, risedronate:

- probably prevents fractures in the bones of the spine and in bones other than in the spine;

- may prevent hip fractures;

- may not lead to any difference in wrist fractures.

In women whose bone density is closer to normal or who may not yet have had a fracture in the bones of their spine, risedronate:

may not lead to any difference in fractures in the bones of the spine, hip fractures or wrist fractures;

there is not enough information to tell if Risedronate prevents fractures in bones other than in the spine.

We do not have precise information about side effects and complications. This is particularly true for rare but serious side effects. Possible side effects may include digestive problems such as damage to the throat, esophagus and stomach and, less commonly, reduced blood supply to the jaw bone, which causes the bone tissue to breakdown .

What is osteoporosis and what is risedronate?
Bone is a living, growing part of your body. Throughout your lifetime, new bone cells grow and old bone cells break down to make room for the new, stronger bone. When you have osteoporosis, the old bone breaks down faster than the new bone can replace it. As this happens, the bones lose minerals (such as calcium). This makes bones weaker and more likely to break even after a minor injury, like a little bump or fall. Women who have gone through menopause are more likely to get osteoporosis than other people.

Risedronate belongs to the class of drugs called bisphosphonates. It is a type of medication that slows down the cells that break down the old bone.

Best estimate of what happens to women that have already been diagnosed with low bone density putting them at risk for fracture or have already had a fracture in the bones of their spine, who take Risedronate:

Fracture of the spine

                 - 14 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking a placebo

                 - 9 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking Risedronate

Fracture in the hip

              - 3 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking a placebo

                 - 2 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking Risedronate

Fracture in the wrist

                 - 4 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking a placebo

                 - 3 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking Risedronate.

Fractures in bones other than the spine

                 - 10 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking a placebo

                 - 8 out of 100 women had a fracture when taking Risedronate

Best estimate of what happens to women whose bone density is closer to normal or who may not yet have had a fracture in the bones of their spine who take risedronate:

                 - there is no difference in the number of women out of 100 who will have a spine fracture. This may be the result of chance.

                 - for hip and wrist fractures, it is not possible to calculate the effect because no one had fractures of the hip or wrist in the studies.

                 - there is not enough information to tell if Risedronate prevents fractures in bones other than in the spine.