If you’re going through osteoporosis treatment, you’re taking a step in the right direction for your bone health. But possibly you have concerns about your therapy.
Is the medication you’re taking the best one for you? For how long will you have to take it? Why does your doctor recommend a weekly pills when others take pills only once a month?
Which medications are frequently used for osteoporosis treatment?
Bisphosphonates are the most common medications prescribed for osteoporosis treatment. These include:
- Alendronate (Fosamax).
- Risedronate (Actonel).
- Ibandronate (Boniva).
- Zoledronic acid (Reclast).
Hormones, such as estrogen, and some hormone-like medications approved for avoiding and treating osteoporosis, such as raloxifene (Evista), also contribute in osteoporosis treatment. Nevertheless, fewer women use estrogen replacement therapy now since it may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
Still, women who have factors– such as menopausal symptoms– to consider using hormones or who are thinking about using Evista for breast cancer prevention, can weigh the benefit of improved bone health into their choice.
Denosumab (Prolia) is a more recent medication revealed to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fracture in women and men. Unrelated to bisphosphonates, denosumab might be used in individuals who cannot take a bisphosphonate, such as some individuals with minimized kidney function.
Teriparatide (Forteo) is usually reserved for men and postmenopausal women who have very low bone density, who have had fractures or whose osteoporosis is caused by steroid medication. Teriparatide is the only osteoporosis medication that has the prospective to rebuild bone and actually reverse osteoporosis, a minimum of rather.
How do most osteoporosis medications work?
With the exception of teriparatide, osteoporosis medications sluggish bone breakdown. Healthy bones continually break down and rebuild. As you age and, for women, especially after menopause, bones break down faster. Because bone restoring can not keep up, bones deteriorate and end up being weaker, according to iytmed.com.
Osteoporosis medications generally put a brake on the procedure. These drugs successfully maintain bone density and reduce the risk of breaking a bone as a result of osteoporosis.
How do you understand if you’re taking the right bisphosphonate?
Drugs in the bisphosphonate class are more alike than they are various. Some studies show distinctions in strength or efficiency at keeping bone density, but they’re all efficient drugs. All bisphosphonates have been revealed to reduce the chance of a fracture.
The choice to take one drug over another typically is based upon:
- Choice.
- Convenience.
- Adherence to the dosing schedule.
- Cost.
Your doctor might suggest a regular monthly dose of medication if it’s mosting likely to be much better tolerated or better accepted. However if you’re most likely to forget to take your medicine on a month-to-month schedule, you might do better taking one when a week.
When might other osteoporosis medications be used?
Drugs such as denosumab and teriparatide can be used by anybody with osteoporosis, but are most likely to be advised for people with distinct situations, ranging from severe osteoporosis with really low bone density, multiple fractures, steroid use and young age. These drugs, which are injected, might likewise be provided to people who can’t endure an oral bisphosphonate.
What are common side effects of bisphosphonate pills?
The main side effects of bisphosphonate pills are stomach upset and heartburn.
To reduce these possible side effects, take the medication with a tall glass of water on an empty stomach. Don’t lie down or flex over or eat for 30 to 60 minutes to prevent the medication cleaning back up into the esophagus. When the recommended wait time is over, eat to reduce the effects of the remaining medication.
Most people who follow these pointers do not have these side effects. But it’s possible to take the medicine correctly and still have indigestion or heartburn.
What takes place if you break a bone while taking an osteoporosis medication?
Osteoporosis medications lower the opportunity of fracture, but they do not remove all risk of breaking a bone. If you have a fracture while on treatment, your doctor will reassess you to check for other problems that may have contributed to the broken bone.
Depending upon the result of that assessment, you might be a prospect to switch to a more aggressive medication such as teriparatide or denosumab.
Can medication alone effectively treat osteoporosis and rebuild you bone?
Don’t rely totally on medication as the only treatment for your osteoporosis. These practices also are necessary:
- Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise and exercises that improve balance and posture can reinforce bones and reduce the possibility of a fracture. The more active and fit you are as you age, the less likely you are to fall and break a bone.
- Proper nutrition. Eat a healthy diet and make sure that you’re getting sufficient calcium and vitamin D. Being underweight or losing a great deal of weight unintentionally is connected with poorer bone health and a greater risk of fracture– even if you’re taking a bisphosphonate.
- Quit smoking and alcohol. Both of them speed up bone loss.
