Treatment with a beta-blocker drug -- usually for high blood pressure or heart failure -- significantly reduces the risk of bone fractures, according to findings from a large population-based study. The effect was seen whether or not the beta-blocker was taken with a diuretic “water pill.” Many elderly people with high blood pressure and who are prone to fractures because of brittle bones could derive a double benefit from these medications, researchers conclude in this week’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
