Utilization and expenditure on medicines for the management of osteoporosis in Ireland: A repeated cross-sectional
Amelia Smith1,2, Lisa Kelly1,2, Claire Gorry1,2
1Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Aim:
Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and increased fracture risk. Management of osteoporosis typically involves antiresorptive and anabolic therapies, which are reimbursed in Ireland through various drug schemes. This study aims to summarize the utilization patterns associated with medicines used in the management of osteoporosis in Ireland.
Methods:
This study is a repeated cross-sectional analysis of the overall utilization of and expenditure on medicines used in the management of osteoporosis in Ireland. A number of additional drug utilization metrics are investigated: the rate of osteoporosis medication prescribing per 1000 General Medical Services eligible population, adherence to bisphosphonates, denosumab and teriparatide, and the proportion of patients initiating denosumab as first-line treatment.
Results:
There has been a significant change in the utilization of medicines used for the treatment of osteoporosis in Ireland over the last 13 years. The associated total annual expenditure was €28.7 million in 2011, increasing to €33.8 million in 2023. The most commonly used medicines have changed significantly over the period analysed; in 2011 the majority of patients were treated with bisphosphonates, whereas from 2019, the majority of patients were treated with denosumab. Poor patterns of treatment adherence were observed in this study.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest evolving patterns in osteoporosis management in the Irish context. The study highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of medication use to ensure safe, effective and cost-effective care in the context of an aging population at increasing risk for osteoporosis.
More Related Videos
09:02Cortical Bone Assessment Using Ultrasonic Guided Waves: A Reproducibility Study in a Healthy Population
Published on: January 31, 2025
07:20Author Spotlight: Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine with Modern Pharmacology and Genomics for Assessing Postmenopausal Osteoporosis in Mice
Published on: August 23, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:40Bone Remodeling
01:31Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
01:25Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...