"Pharmacologic Treatment of
Osteopenia Not Usually Indicated"
Monday, September 17, 2007
A recent American Family Physician journal, citing a JAMA article, puts the lie to the idea that people
(particularly women) with osteopenia (low bone density) should be
on medications. With all the evidence that these medications (like
Fosamax or its friends) shouldn't be first-line treatments, why are
doctors still prescribing them so quickly? If your doctor pulls out
the pad for this, ask them when the last time they saw that drug
rep and whether they are pushing the doc to use it as a
preventative. This kind of behavior is occurring more and more, so
let your doctor know that it's getting so obvious and blatant that
even the patients are picking up on it. There are some movement
among conventional docs to limit their exposure to drug
reps, No Free Lunch
for practicing physicians
and Pharmfree for medical students. Sadly, the No
Free Lunch doesn't turn up any drug-rep free primary care
physicians in Ann Arbor (though it does find a pediatrician in
Ypsilanti).
Interestingly, the article points out that the only treatment that has been shown to reduce nonvertebral fracture risk in women with osteopenia is estrogen. Bioidenticals, anyone?
Interestingly, the article points out that the only treatment that has been shown to reduce nonvertebral fracture risk in women with osteopenia is estrogen. Bioidenticals, anyone?
