Anti-epilepsy drugs can increase rate of bone loss in older women.

2004 JUL 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Epilepsy drugs can increase the rate of bone loss in older women, new study results show.

Women over age 65 who were taking drugs for epilepsy were losing bone mass at nearly twice the rate of women who were not taking epilepsy drugs, according to the report, published in the June 8, 2004, issue of Neurology.

"If this rate of bone loss is not addressed, the risk of hip fracture for these women will jump by 29% over 5 years," stated study author Kristine Ensrud, MD, MPH, of the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota. "Older women taking epilepsy drugs should be screened for osteoporosis and counseled about the importance of getting enough calcium and taking vitamin D supplements."

The study involved 6,044 women at least 65 years old. The women's bone density in the heel bone was measured at the beginning of the study and again an average of 5.7 years later. At that time, the women's bone density in the hip bones was also measured. Then 4,202 of the women completed another hip bone density test an average of 4.4 years later.

Women who were taking epilepsy drugs had a 1.8 greater average rate of bone loss in the heel bone than women who were not taking epilepsy drugs, and a 1.7 greater average rate of loss at the hip. The results did not change when researchers adjusted for other risk factors, such as age, estrogen use, poor health status, inactivity, smoking, and lower calcium intake.

The two types of bone were tested because some researchers have hypothesized that epilepsy drugs affect only one type of bone, which is prevalent in the hip bone, but makes up only a fraction of the heel bone.

"This study shows that the drugs affect both types of bone," Ensrud said.