Fosomax Doubles Atrial Fibrillation Risk

Scott Kappes

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A new study suggests that women treated with Fosomax to combat the symptoms of osteoporosis are twice as likely to develop a common form of irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation than those who have never taken the drug. Atrial fibrillation can lead to heart palpitations, fainting, fatigue or congestive heart failure. Atrial fibrillation is relatively common ailment affecting about one percent of Americans and becomes increasingly common with age, with just under ten percent of those over the age of 80 affected by the ailment. A new study headed by Dr. Susan Heckbert suggests that Fosomax may drastically increase the chances of developing atrial fibrillation.

For her study, Dr. Heckbert and her colleagues from Group Health analyzed 719 women with diagnosed atrial fibrillation that began taking the drug between 2001 and 2004, and 966 women who were the same age but did not have the condition. According to the findings, there was an 86 percent higher risk of newly found atrial fibrillation in those who had used Fosamax compared with those who had never used it.

Experts are not advising patients to stop taking the medication, but merely advising patients and healthcare professionals of this adverse effect. When weighing the benefits of a medication against the risks many details must be taken into account. With Fosomax experts claim that for most women at high risk for fractures related to osteoporosis, the benefits will likely outweigh the risk of atrial fibrillation.