Benefits & Harms

In Canada, for every 1000 women 65 years and older screened as recommended by the Task Force and followed for 3 to 5 years, 12 major osteoporotic fractures and 4 hip fractures can be prevented.

Benefits Harms
Bisphosphonates
  • Reduces risk of
    clinical fragility fractures Fragility fractures are bone breaks from a normal activity, or from a minor incident or fall that would not cause a bone to break in a healthy adult. Most common types of these breaks are hip and spine fractures.
    (Moderate certainty evidence)
  • Reduces risk of
    hip fractures A hip fracture is when a hip bone breaks from normal daily activity, or from a minor incident that would not cause a bone to break in a healthy adult
    
 (Low certainty evidence)
  • Reduce risk of
    clinical vertebral fractures A clinical vertebral fracture is when a spine bone breaks from normal daily activity, or from a minor incident that would not cause a bone to break in a healthy adult.
    (Low certainty evidence)
  • Generally, there is a very low to no likelihood of any serious side effects and very few discontinued their medication due to side-effects (Low certainty evidence)
  • May include increased risk of
    atypical femoral fractures Atypical femoral fracture is a rare side effect which causes the thigh bone to break
    or
    osteonecrosis of the jaw Osteonecrosis of jaw is a rare condition causing the deterioration of the jawbone
    (<1-2 per 10,000)
(Low certainty evidence)
  • Low likelihood (1-6%) of non-serious side effects, such as abdominal issues (e.g., reflux) or flu-like symptoms (Low to moderate certainty evidence)

Refer to Resources page for full guideline, including full breakdown of benefits and harms.