Annual treatment for osteoporosis

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Annual treatment for osteoporosis The researchers say that Aclasta, known technically as zoledronic acid, could provide an alternative to other bisphosphonate drugs, which come in pill form and are taken every day, or weekly. Compliance with these drugs is poor, partly because they can cause side effects such as inflammation of the oesophagus (food pipe), and many patients stop taking them within six months to a year. Aclasta is administered in a drip form, but the therapy only takes 15 minutes to complete. However, Aclasta, which costs £300 a year, was associated with a raised risk of abnormal heart rhythms. A once-a-year treatment significantly cuts the risk of broken bones caused by osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, international research has shown.