Heart drug reduces bone fractures

Beta-blockers drugs usually used for the treatment of high blood pressure or heart failure reduces the risk of bone fractures. The effect was seen whether beta-blocker was taken with a diuretic water pill or not. Elderly people suffering from high blood pressure and prone to fractures because of brittle bones could derive a double benefit from these medications. Among those sold, include Inderal (ICI India Limited.) and Tenormin (Nicholas Piramal India Ltd).Researchers from the University of Basel in Switzerland found that animal studies have suggested that the beta-blocker propranolol (Inderal) increase bone formation. However, the data in humans is limited.

To investigate, the researching group analysed data from the UK General Practice Research Database on 30,601 patients with a bone fracture and 120,819 matched fracture-free patients. The men and women in the study were between 30 and 79 years of ages.People who had filled three or more prescription for a beta-blocker were 23 per cent less likely to have a fracture than people not taking beta-blockers. For diuretic prescriptions, the risk was reduced by 20 per cent, and with both drugs it was lowered to 28 per cent. Researchers took into account smoking, body weight, and numerous other drugs that are known to alter fracture risk.

From the study results, it seems that elderly patients with high blood pressure may potentially profit from positive effects of the relatively inexpensive beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics on fracture risk. Though additional studies to confirm these potentially important findings are also needed.

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