A postmenopausal osteoporotic woman losing bone mineral density despite bisphosphonates

• Main Authors: Lai PSM, Nagammai T, Vethakkan SR
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia 2013-10-01
• Series: Malaysian Family Physician
• Subjects: postmenopausal; osteoporosis; bone mineral density; bisphosphonate
• Online Access: http://www.e-mfp.org/2013v8n2/bone-mineral-density.pdf

Bisphosphonates are pyrophosphate analogues, with a strong affinity for bones. They inhibit bone resorption and are currently the first choice of treatment for osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates should be taken in a specific manner and for at least one year to be effective in the maintenance and improvement of bone mineral density (BMD), as well as for protection against fractures. We report a case of a postmenospausal osteoporotic woman who lost BMD despite being on bisphosphonate therapy for eight years, highlighting issues that a primary care doctor needs to address before deciding on the next best option.