Considerations regarding adherence of anti-osteoporosis therapy

Abstract

Osteoporosis remains a challenging disease to treat due to a number of barriers including patient adherence to therapies. One of the most recent advances has been the development of the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, which is helpful in conveying fracture risk to patients and providing treatment guidance to clinicians. The decision to use an anti-osteoporosis therapy must be tailored to the patient’s specific clinical scenario. The bisphosphonates are first-line agents in the treatment of osteoporosis and are efficacious in substantially reducing fracture risk between 25% and 70% on average depending on fracture site. Compliance with oral bisphosphonate pills can be poor, resulting in a significant deterrent to the proper management of osteoporosis. Non-pill forms of bisphosphonate and nonbisphosphonate therapy are available for the treatment of osteoporosis and may increase compliance. Among these is Binosto, a new formulation of weekly effervescent alendronate, as well as intravenous bisphosphonates, teriparatide, and subcutaneously administered denosumab, which are all costly medications and are unlikely to become the mainstay of treatment over the oral bisphosphonate pills. Having a detailed conversation between the patient and physician is essential to the development of a tailored treatment plan that will decrease fracture risk.

Keywords:

• osteoporosis
• treatment
• bisphosphonates
• adherence

Declaration of interest: Violet S. Lagari, Elizabeth McAninch, and Sanford Baim, have no conflicts of interests to declare.