Effective osteoporosis treatments are available but challenges exist and may compromise therapy success.
Patients diagnosed with osteoporosis will usually be prescribed a medical treatment to prevent bone loss and osteoporotic fractures along with lifestyle changes.2 The osteoporosis treatments are in most cases highly effective in preventing further bone loss and osteoporotic fractures and can reduce the risk of hip fracture by up to 40%.3 However, challenges exist and might compromise patients’ therapy success:
• Poor adherence and persistence to therapy4
The lack of persistence and adherence to osteoporosis therapy is a common and well recognized problem.4 Poor adherence can result from forgetfulness, concerns about the therapy’s side effects or an inability to see the therapy's benefits. Adherence and persistence are crucial as they have a considerable impact on fracture and mortality risk reduction.5,6
• Sub-optimal response to treatment7,8
Even when patients fully comply, their osteoporosis treatment might be ineffective. A sub-optimal response to treatment can be caused by the existence of secondary osteoporosis due to certain medical conditions or treatments that interfere with bone metabolism, poor intestinal absorption, or an inadequate level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) or calcium.