The effects were more pronounced among women taking 120 mg of raloxifene, the study showed. The disease is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including 300,000 hip fractures and approximately 700,000 vertebral fractures, according to the National Institutes of Health. Raloxifene will be an important new drug in the therapeutic arsenal. I predict that as the study continues, there will be reductions in fracture rates in other parts of the body. The risk of fractures in other parts of the body was not reduced in this three-year study.
Some women take estrogen supplements to stave off osteoporosis.
Estrogen protects the bones and the heart but may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer. Considering the current options for the prevention of bone loss and the reduction of fracture risk now available, the clinical challenge is to translate these new advances into the mainstream of routine medical practice in an appropriate manner by focusing on fracture reduction in high-risk patients. Although the study was not designed to look at breast cancer risk, women who took raloxifene did, in fact, have a lower risk for breast cancer, study authors note. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.