You may want to have a voice in this opinion, or you may simply want to follow your doctor’s recommendations. Either way, this information will help you understand what your options are so you can talk to your doctor about them.
There are a number of factors that cause a patient’s fear and reluctance to take osteoporosis medications, thereby increasing the risk of fractures.
Reports of rare side effects from commonly prescribed osteoporosis medications have led to a growing number of patients at risk of fractures refusing treatment. Some of these side effects include osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femoral fractures. In fact, use of the most commonly prescribed drugs fell by 50% from 2008 to 2012 in the United States, according to a research paper published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research and doctors say this trend continues.
Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease in humans characterized by low bone strength, leading to an increased risk of fracture. It is a major public health problem, affecting approximately 200 million people worldwide. A British study showed that about 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 experience an osteoporotic fracture at some point in later life.
Every study has limitations, and we must keep them in mind when interpreting the results. For example, the population under study may be different from yours, so the results may not apply to you. Also, the number of subjects enrolled in the study, and other confounding factors that may influence the results of the study, such as lifestyle factors, must be taken into account when drawing conclusions. Despite these limitations, we have learned a lot about the benefits and harms of osteoporosis treatment.
- To date, the consensus is that there has been no proven risk of increased cardiovascular risk with intake of calcium supplements.
- Other researches have checked the risk of damage to jaw tissue with the using of bisphosphonates, one kind of medication generally used to treat osteoporosis. The risk is truth, but rare. Most often, it is related with bisphosphonates given intravenously, not taken by mouth (as most bisphosphonates are). Convinced population groups are also at higher risk for necrosis than others. Discuss to the doctor about the personal risk for serious bisphosphonate side effects.
- Another general question is whether osteoporosis medicines are harmful to the esophagus and the rest of the digestive tract. There is a risk of inflammation of the gut lining, but if you follow the guide carefully while taking the medication and follow up with the doctor as directed, the risk is very small.
- Because osteoporosis is a silent disease until a fracture happens, female frequent question the need for treatment at all. There are directive and tools designed to help you and the doctor decide whether to begin treatment, and as a surferer, you have the right to know every information of the treatment choices being provided.
The doctor should be able to help you decide by offering all the relevant info and explaining the major side effects of any treatment the doctor recommends. From there, you should be an active participant in your own care. Weigh the risks and advantage in your own mind — and with the doctor — before you decide about treatment for osteoporosis.
