Adherence to osteoporosis therapies
Osteoporosis therapies reduce the risk of osteoporotic related fractures. Patients with poor persistence to osteoporosis medications are nonpersistent with nutritional interventions such as calcium or with medications such as statins for other asymptomatic diseases. Historically, optimizing compliance with all osteoporosis therapies has been challenging, especially with the oral bisphosphonates which require shorter dosing intervals and more complex regimens. When injectable osteoporosis medications administered by a health care provider became available many thought that persistence would improve because medication administration would be managed by the health care professional. Researchers have sought for over a decade to explain nonpersistence with osteoporosis medications. Patient perception of risk/benefit is influenced by both perceived and actual side effects. Many side effects such as gastrointestinal adverse events lower the likelihood of persistence. Many patients believe that osteoporotic fractures are a natural consequence of aging rather than the manifestation of a chronic and treatable disease.
