New Medication Approved for Treating Osteoporosis in Women

osteoporosis medication women

May is National Osteoporosis Month.

This is the perfect time to think about your fracture risk and to discuss this with your medical provider.

One in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

This disease causes about two million broken bones each year. The National Osteoporosis Foundation has a lot of useful tools for thinking about bone health at www.nof.org.

A new medication has just been FDA approved for treating osteoporosis in women after menopause at high risk for fracture.

The name of this medication is Evenity (romosozumab). It is an injection given under the skin once a month at a provider’s office for one year.

This medication is the first of its kind to increase the cells that build bone. It also stops the cells that break down bone. This choice is not for everyone, just for those considered at high risk for fracture. There is also a warning on the medication that it could potentially increase the risk for heart disease if a person is at risk. Like any medication, the risks and benefits of its use should be discussed with your physician.

Jennifer Kelly, DO, is an endocrinologist and director of the Metabolic Bone Program at the UVM Medical Center. 

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