SAN DIEGO – Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors may reduce the risk of age-related bone loss in elderly men.
A retrospective analysis of longitudinal data from the prospective Health ABC (Dynamics of Health, Aging and Body Composition Study) found that femoral neck bone mineral density was significantly greater in elderly men on an ACE inhibitor for 5 or more years for treatment of hypertension than in those who were not on long-term ACE inhibitor therapy, Dr. Nahid Rianon reported.
This secondary analysis of Health ABC involved 583 men with a mean age of 83 years. At 10-year follow-up, femoral neck bone mineral density was 0.04 g/cm
Of note, the same magnitude of improvement in femoral neck bone mineral density was seen after just 5 years of ACE inhibitor therapy. In other words, no further divergence in bone mineral density occurred during years 5-10.
Osteoporosis and hypertension are two major age-related chronic diseases that at present are managed separately using different classes of drugs. If ACE inhibitors can be shown to be beneficial in both of these extremely common diseases, management would be considerably simplified, observed Dr. Rianon of the University of Texas, Houston.
Health ABC is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. Dr. Rianon declared having no financial conflicts.