Minnesota doctors are now being graded on women’s bone health

Digestive problems are common with bisphosphonate pills but can be addressed if patients take the pills with water and on empty stomachs. Long-term use also could result over time in bones becoming too brittle, though doctors have countered that side effect by only prescribing them in short bursts rather than in continuous doses, said Dr. Andrew Schmidt, chief of orthopedics at Hennepin Healthcare.