Heart Drug Reduces Bone Breaks
From: Bill (xxx_at_yy.zz)
Date: 09/14/04
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Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 22:25:22 GMT
I view this as very preliminary. I would like to have seen some bone mass
density tests. How do we know the people given both drugs were not less active
and thus less prone to fractures? Perhaps the full article clarifies.
Bill
_________________________
Heart Drug Reduces Bone Breaks
By Megan Rauscher
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treatment with a beta-blocker drug -- usually for
high blood pressure or heart failure -- significantly reduces the risk of bone
fractures, according to findings from a large population-based study. The
effect was seen whether or not the beta-blocker was taken with a diuretic
"water pill."
Many elderly people with high blood pressure and who are prone to fractures
because of brittle bones could derive a double benefit from these medications,
researchers conclude in this week's issue of the Journal of the American
Medical Association (news - web sites).
There are many beta-blockers sold, including Inderal, Tenormin, and Toprol.
"Animal studies suggest that the beta-blocker propranolol (Inderal) increases
bone formation," Dr. Raymond G. Schlienger from the University of Basel in
Switzerland told Reuters Health. However, "data in humans are limited."
To investigate, his group analyzed data from the UK General Practice Research
Database on 30,601 patients with a bone fracture and 120,819 matched
fracture-free patients. The men and women in the study were between 30 and 79
years of ages.
People who had filled three or more prescription for a beta-blocker were 23
percent less likely to have a fracture than people not taking beta-blockers.
For diuretic prescriptions, the risk was reduced by 20 percent, and with both
drugs it was lowered to 28 percent.
Of note, the researchers took into account smoking, body weight, and numerous
other drugs that are known to alter fracture risk.
Schlienger's team calls for additional studies to confirm these "potentially
important findings."
In the meantime, it seems that elderly patients with high blood pressure "may
potentially profit from positive effects of the relatively inexpensive
beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics on fracture risk," they conclude.
SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association, September 15, 2004.
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