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Bone diseases

Bisphosphonates in osteoporosis—beyond 5 years

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Bisphosphonates are the mainstay of treatment for osteoporosis, but uncertainties exist regarding their long-term use. The identification of patients who will benefit from continuing therapy is of primary clinical importance and a subject of current research. Risk factors for fractures are helping to improve decision making, but unanswered questions remain.

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Figure 1: Uptake and release of bisphosphonates from bone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology & Metabolic Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands

    Socrates E. Papapoulos

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  1. Socrates E. Papapoulos
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Competing interests

S. E. Papapoulos declares that he has acted as a consultant for and received speakers' fees from Amgen, Merck, Novartis, Roche/GSK and Warner Chilcott.

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Papapoulos, S. Bisphosphonates in osteoporosis—beyond 5 years. Nat Rev Rheumatol 9, 263–264 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2013.57

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