Fosamax Clips - 9.04.2015

Client Attorney Privileged/Attorney Work Product/At Request of Counsel

1. Boning up on bone health

   Apr 9, 2015 | Choice

   By Karina Bray
   
   
   ...Bisphosphonates are phosphorus compounds that prevent breakdown of bone. Alendronate (Fosamax and generic) and risedronate (Actonel and generic) are taken daily, and there's also an intravenous version called zoledronic acid (Aclasta) which is administered once a year.

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Client Attorney Privileged/Attorney Work Product/At Request of Counsel

1. Boning up on bone health

   Apr 9, 2015 | Choice

   By Karina Bray

   A common misconception is that osteoporosis is a woman's disease, to the extent that it's often overlooked in men. However, one-third of all hip fractures worldwide occur in men, with mortality rates as high as 37% in the first year following the fracture. Men are likely to be older than women when they suffer their first osteoporotic fracture, and are twice as likely as women to die after a hip fracture.

   With our ageing population, osteoporosis is becoming more and more prevalent in Australia. But taking action in middle age can help diagnose potential bone health issues, and prevent them from getting worse later on.

   Osteoporosis literally means 'porous bones': bones that are not as dense and strong as they should be, making them easier to fracture, or in the spine to compress. Visible signs include spine deformities, such as 'dowager's hump', and decreasing height.

   But the main concern with osteoporosis is the relative ease with which fractures occur, impacting on quality of life and independence – and, in the case of hip fractures, linked with premature death.

   ...There are many effective medicines to prevent and reverse osteoporosis, and the one your doctor recommends will depend upon your age, sex and medical history, including your current bone health and fracture history, and other conditions you may have. Most are subsidised by the PBS only for people who have experienced fragility fractures, or are people over 70 at risk of fractures due to low bone density.

   One of the challenges in treating osteoporosis is getting patients to take their prescribed medicine. There are several issues, including the long-term nature of many treatments with no obvious benefits, the inconvenience of some treatments (such as having to stay upright after taking bisphosphonates) or unpleasant side effects (such as heartburn or flu-like symptoms). There are some treatment options that require only occasional dosing, such as zoledronic acid (see Bisphosphonates, below) or denosumab, which overcomes some of these issues.

   Bisphosphonates are phosphorus compounds that prevent breakdown of bone. Alendronate (Fosamax and generic) and risedronate (Actonel and generic) are taken daily, and there's also an intravenous version called zoledronic acid (Aclasta) which is administered once a year.

   For full story:

   https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/conditions/muscles-bones-and-joints/articles/preventing-and-treating-osteoporosis

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