Whats your risk of an adverse effect of long-term bisphosphonate therapy?
Rarely, bisphosphonate therapy can lead to osteonecrosis of the jaw — a bone disease that causes pain, swelling or infection in the jaw. Invasive dental procedures, such as tooth extractions, increase this risk, so ask your doctor whether it’s advisable to stop your bisphosphonate before you have dental work. Long-term bisphosphonate therapy has also been linked to a rare type of thigh fracture that sometimes develops in both legs at once. This injury, known as atypical femoral fracture, is similar to a stress fracture, causing pain that begins subtly and may gradually worsen. The thigh or groin is the site of the pain. Left untreated, an atypical femoral fracture may extend across and through the bone, breaking it completely. To limit your risk of both these adverse effects, you might consider stopping bisphosphonate therapy if you’ve taken the medication for five years or longer and you have a low risk of fractures. Remember, the decision to continue or stop bisphosphonate therapy is
