More on pred & bone loss in women

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/18/01 6:41:11 AM Pacific Standard Time,

chisholmdog@... writes:

<< Get a DEXA bone density test, and

take a bisphosphonate drug like Actonel or Fosamax, if

you are on 5 mg of pred for 3 months or longer. >>

Martha, thanks for the great information and the great site. Hope you had a

nice weekend.

hugs

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/18/01 6:41:11 AM Pacific Standard Time,

chisholmdog@... writes:

<< Get a DEXA bone density test, and

take a bisphosphonate drug like Actonel or Fosamax, if

you are on 5 mg of pred for 3 months or longer. >>

Martha, thanks for the great information and the great site. Hope you had a

nice weekend.

hugs

[Guest guest]

The below is from the American College of Rheumatology

meeting. Summary: Get a DEXA bone density test, and

take a bisphosphonate drug like Actonel or Fosamax, if

you are on 5 mg of pred for 3 months or longer. This

is acording to American College of Rheumatology

guidelines, not just a Martha-say-so. Talk to your

rheumys or PCPs!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SAN FRANCISCO (MedscapeWire) Nov 14 — Physicians need

to do a better job prescribing antiresorptive drugs to

prevent bone loss in women taking glucocorticoids for

chronic diseases, according to research presented here

Monday at the 65th annual meeting of the American

College of Rheumatology.

" Physicians are not connecting the use of

glucocorticoids with bone loss and that these patients

are at high risk for fractures, " said lead author J.

Harrington, MD, a clinical associate professor

of medicine at the University of Wisconsin in

Madison. " Any patient started on corticosteroids

should be started on bisphosphonates and any patient

with low bone mass should be treated with

bisphosphonates. "

Harrington and colleagues conducted a review of how

often women are prescribed concomittant antiresorptive

therapy. They reviewed data from 408 patients

receiving 5 mg or more daily of the glucocorticoid

prednisone for at least 3 consecutive months.

In these patients, only 38% had received a bone

mineral density test using dual x-ray absorptiometry.

In addition, only 30% of the patients had been

prescribed an antiresorptive drug, such as estrogen, a

bisphosphonate, raloxifene, and calcitonin.

In women older than 45 years taking the

glucocorticoid, who are at even greater risk of

suffering glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, 56% had

received a bone mineral density test and 60% had been

prescribed an antiresorptive medication.

Of these women, 34% received estrogen, 20%

bisphosphonate, 4% calcitonin, and 2% raloxifene.

Harrington noted that although the majority of these

women were receiving hormone replacement therapy,

possibly for causes other than bone maintenance,

current American College of Rheumatology guidelines

recommend bisphosphonates, which offer superior bone

protection compared with estrogen.

Harrington disclosed he has served as a consultant

and/or speaker for the makers of two bisphosphonates,

Aventis Pharmaceuticals (Actonel), and Merck

(Fosamax).

" Women starting these drugs [glucocorticoids] may lose

10% of their bone mass within a year, " he said.

" Everyone starting glucocorticoids should be on one of

these drugs to block that initial bone loss. We need

to continue the educational efforts towards physicians. "

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

The below is from the American College of Rheumatology

meeting. Summary: Get a DEXA bone density test, and

take a bisphosphonate drug like Actonel or Fosamax, if

you are on 5 mg of pred for 3 months or longer. This

is acording to American College of Rheumatology

guidelines, not just a Martha-say-so. Talk to your

rheumys or PCPs!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SAN FRANCISCO (MedscapeWire) Nov 14 — Physicians need

to do a better job prescribing antiresorptive drugs to

prevent bone loss in women taking glucocorticoids for

chronic diseases, according to research presented here

Monday at the 65th annual meeting of the American

College of Rheumatology.

" Physicians are not connecting the use of

glucocorticoids with bone loss and that these patients

are at high risk for fractures, " said lead author J.

Harrington, MD, a clinical associate professor

of medicine at the University of Wisconsin in

Madison. " Any patient started on corticosteroids

should be started on bisphosphonates and any patient

with low bone mass should be treated with

bisphosphonates. "

Harrington and colleagues conducted a review of how

often women are prescribed concomittant antiresorptive

therapy. They reviewed data from 408 patients

receiving 5 mg or more daily of the glucocorticoid

prednisone for at least 3 consecutive months.

In these patients, only 38% had received a bone

mineral density test using dual x-ray absorptiometry.

In addition, only 30% of the patients had been

prescribed an antiresorptive drug, such as estrogen, a

bisphosphonate, raloxifene, and calcitonin.

In women older than 45 years taking the

glucocorticoid, who are at even greater risk of

suffering glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, 56% had

received a bone mineral density test and 60% had been

prescribed an antiresorptive medication.

Of these women, 34% received estrogen, 20%

bisphosphonate, 4% calcitonin, and 2% raloxifene.

Harrington noted that although the majority of these

women were receiving hormone replacement therapy,

possibly for causes other than bone maintenance,

current American College of Rheumatology guidelines

recommend bisphosphonates, which offer superior bone

protection compared with estrogen.

Harrington disclosed he has served as a consultant

and/or speaker for the makers of two bisphosphonates,

Aventis Pharmaceuticals (Actonel), and Merck

(Fosamax).

" Women starting these drugs [glucocorticoids] may lose

10% of their bone mass within a year, " he said.

" Everyone starting glucocorticoids should be on one of

these drugs to block that initial bone loss. We need

to continue the educational efforts towards physicians. "

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

--- chisholmdog wrote:

> The below is from the American College of

> Rheumatology

> meeting. Summary: Get a DEXA bone density test, and

> take a bisphosphonate drug like Actonel or Fosamax,

> if

> you are on 5 mg of pred for 3 months or longer.

>

My rheumy has just put me on Fosamax, if you are

careful and take it on an empty stomach, and don't lie

down, it seems to be OK. I sometimes feel a little

nauseous after I have had my breakfast, but it passes!

Love Liz

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

--- chisholmdog wrote:

> The below is from the American College of

> Rheumatology

> meeting. Summary: Get a DEXA bone density test, and

> take a bisphosphonate drug like Actonel or Fosamax,

> if

> you are on 5 mg of pred for 3 months or longer.

>

My rheumy has just put me on Fosamax, if you are

careful and take it on an empty stomach, and don't lie

down, it seems to be OK. I sometimes feel a little

nauseous after I have had my breakfast, but it passes!

Love Liz

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/18/01 9:06:43 PM Pacific Standard Time,

lizwizz2000@... writes:

<< My rheumy has just put me on Fosamax >>

LIZ, MY new rheumy is going to let me know on my next visit if she is going

to put me on it... do you take it every day or once a week.?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/18/01 9:06:43 PM Pacific Standard Time,

lizwizz2000@... writes:

<< My rheumy has just put me on Fosamax >>

LIZ, MY new rheumy is going to let me know on my next visit if she is going

to put me on it... do you take it every day or once a week.?