Posts Tagged: Osteoporosis

World Osteoporosis Day: Stop at One

2 Million 2 Many - Pile of casts

Half of people who break a hip have already had at least one broken bone. Less than 1 in 5 who break their hip are on treatment for osteoporosis. Approximately 80 percent of people treated in clinics or hospitals for a fracture are not subsequently screened for osteoporosis or for their risk of falls.

Do Fractures Mean Bad Bones?

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A fall from standing height is considered a fracture due to fragile bones. Typically a diagnosis of osteoporosis is made based on the fracture regardless of one’s bone density. But what if you break a bone from a fall from a ladder or are in an automobile crash? Or like our friend who fell through… Read more

Is Calcium Bad for the Heart?

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The calcium controversy helps draw attention to bone health. That’s good! Lots of media over a study with lots of flaws and a “trivial result.” Here’s my opinion on the meta-analysis of calcium supplements and risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular events released yesterday on BMJ online first. ➤ Heart disease was not the focus… Read more

Putting Their Money Where Their Mouths Are

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Insurance coverage for preventive services is changing with the new health care act. Our insurance plans have been crisis-oriented for coverage and reimbursement of preventive services. For instance, no problem paying for your hip fracture but not your bone density screening. Let’s see, one cost the system about $40,000 for surgery and post surgery care… Read more

When to screen?

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Remember the outcry about when to screen for mammography? The public and health professional’s objections were deafening in response to the US Preventive Services Task Force’s new guidelines for screening ages for mammograms. To avoid a similar boondoggle, the US Preventive Services Task Force released a draft guideline for screening for osteoporosis today. They asked… Read more

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Lawsuit

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A New York jury awarded $8 million to plaintiff 72-year-old Shirley Boles from Fort Walton, Florida who claimed Merck’s osteoporosis drug Fosamax destroyed her jawbone causing serious pain and disability. The jury concluded that Fosamax was “unreasonably dangerous due to defective design, and that its defective design was a legal cause of Mrs. Boles’ injury.”… Read more

Amgen’s Osteoporosis Drug PROLIA™ Approved by the FDA

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On the heels of the European Union’s approval, the FDA announced today approval of Amgen’s osteoporosis drug Prolia™ (denosumab) for treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. We were expecting news later in the summer, so this early announcement was a surprise. Prolia™ is given in your doctor’s office as a shot under the skin twice… Read more

Unique New Drug Approved for Treatment of Osteoporosis in EU

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Prolia™ (denosumab), a medicine for treatment of osteoporosis under review by the FDA, received approval today (May 28, 2010) for marketing in the European Union. For Amgen, the maker of Prolia™, this was the drug’s first approval for use. The approval was 2-fold: 1- for treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at increased risk of fractures… Read more

Are Medicines That Should Prevent Fractures Causing Fractures?

Atypical femur fracture X-ray

Research Article: Bisphosphonates and Fractures of the Subtrochanteric or Diaphyseal Femur Dennis M. Black, et al for the Fracture Intervention Trial and HORIZON Pivotal Fracture Trial Steering Committees. New England Journal of Medicine. 2010 May 13;362(19):1761-71. Epub 2010 Mar 24. Background. Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs commonly prescribed for patients who have osteoporosis and… Read more