Height loss may be sign that it's time for a prescription to buy Fosamax

Women who have lost two or more inches in height may be likely to benefit from a prescription to buy Fosamax, as new research suggests that these individuals are significantly more likely to break a bone and die.

The investigators from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research who conducted the study said that loss of height may be considered a primary warning sign of osteoporosis risk, particularly when an older woman begins losing a significant number of inches.

For the study, the researchers examined medical records collected from 3,124 women over the age of 65. The records began in 1985. The results of this investigation revealed that participants who lost more than two inches during the following 15 years were 50 percent more likely to break a bone and to die in the five years following their fracture.

"Most older women remember how tall they were in their mid 20s, and if they measure two inches shorter than that, clinicians should consider bone density testing, counseling and possible treatment to help prevent fractures," said lead researcher Teresa Hillier.