REPORT #1677
"The medication actually goes into the blood and goes directly to bone and acts on the bone cells directly."
Abby Abelson, MD
Rheumatic & Immunologic Disease
Cleveland Clinic
FIGHTING BRITTLE BONES
BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing a person to increased risk of fracture. Osteoporosis affects 44 million Americans, 55 percent of people over the age of 50. An osteoporosis related fracture occurs every 20 seconds. Women are more susceptible to the disease. In fact, osteoporotic fractures are more common in women than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.
TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS: There are both natural remedies and prescription drugs available to help prevent and treat osteoporosis. Calcium plays an important role in keeping bones strong. Many published studies indicate low calcium intake throughout life is associated with low bone mass and high fracture rates. Vitamin D is also important because it helps the body absorb calcium. Oral medications are often used to treat and prevent osteoporotic fractures. Drugs like Fosamax (alendronate sodium) and Actonel (risedronate sodium) are taken once a week, and Boniva (ibandronate sodium) is taken once a month. It's suggested these drugs be taken on an empty stomach for better absorption, making them difficult to tolerate for some patients.
A NEW TREATMENT: There's a new treatment option available for patients who have trouble complying with or tolerating oral medications. The new FDA approved drug, called Reclast (zoledronic acid), is given through an IV and only needs to be administered once a year. It's intended to specifically treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and has been shown to reduce the incidence of hip, vertebral and non-vertebral osteoporosis-related fractures. It's estimated that Medicare will cover 65 percent to 70 percent of patients for Reclast and most patients with PPO and HMO plans should be covered. In clinical trials, researchers found Reclast administered through IV once yearly appeared to be at least as affective as oral medications in reducing the risk of new and recurrent fractures.
SMART WOMAN CONTACT:
Abby Abelson, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic
(216) 444-3876
