The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7498 p459
19 April 2008

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Loop diuretics associated with hip bone loss

Older men who take loop diuretics appear to have increased rates of hip bone loss than men who are not taking these medicines (Archives of Internal Medicine 2008;168:735).

Researchers examined 3,269 men age 65 years or older (average age 72.7 years) between 2000 and 2002 and again at a follow-up visit an average of 4.6 years later.

After the researchers had adjusted for other related factors, the average annual rate of decline in total hip bone mineral density was –0.33 per cent in non-users of loop diuretics, –0.58 per cent in intermittent users and –0.78 per cent among continuous users (84 men continuously used loop diuretics between the two periods, 181 used them intermittently and 3,004 did not use them).

“Our findings suggest that healthcare providers should take into account loop diuretic use when evaluating older men for risk factors for bone loss and fracture risk,” the researchers conclude.