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A class of medicines, called bisphosphonates, prescribed to treat millions of people with osteoporosis appear to increase the risk of irregular heart beats, according to an analysis of earlier studies by researchers from the University of Miami.
In three studies with a total of 16,322 participants taking a placebo or osteoporosis drugs that included alendronate, sold as Fosamax, and zoledronic acid, or Zometa, patients taking the medications were significantly more likely to have an incident of serious atrial fibrillation, or irregular heart beat, that included hospitalization or death.
The study was presented in Philadelphia at the annual scientific conference of the American College of Chest Physicians.
The researchers concluded that doctors need to take the risk of such adverse events into account when prescribing the medications. And the study suggests patients taking a medication in that class of drug should let their doctors know if they feel symptoms that can include palpitations, light-headedness, chest pain or shortness of breath. These two nitrogen containing bishosphonates have also been linked to a serious condition involving the “death” of the jawbone called osteonecrosis or ONJ.