Do Loop Diuretics Increase the Risk for Fractures in Postmenopausal Women?

Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative suggest that they don’t, but many questions remain.

Controversy exists about the possible association of diuretics with bone mineral density (BMD), falls, and fractures. To explore this issue in postmenopausal women, these investigators compared incident falls and fractures in 3411 users and 130,444 nonusers of loop diuretics in the Women’s Health Initiative during an average of 7.7 years’ follow-up. The relation between loop diuretics and BMD was also assessed in 9424 women for whom BMD measurements at baseline and at 3 years of follow-up were available.

In multivariate analysis, no significant association was found between overall use of loop diuretics and total fractures, hip or vertebral fractures, or falls. Use for more than 3 years, however, was associated with a small but significant i…

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

Do Loop Diuretics Increase the Risk for Fractures in Postmenopausal Women?

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Reviewing Author