Injection for Better Bones
Reported January 31, 2005
PORTLAND, Ore. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- If you are a woman over 50, you have
a one in two chance of eventually suffering a fracture caused by osteoporosis.
The risk for men is one in four. Medications can lessen the risk, but over time
many people stop taking them. Here's a new way doctors can make osteoporosis
medications more appealing to their patients.
After menopause, a scan showed Paula Dungan had low bone density. She thought
about taking a prescription pill but worried about side effects. "With one that
I was contemplating taking, it might accentuate hot flashes. I wasn't looking
forward to any more of those," Dungan says.
Instead, she enrolled in a clinical trial testing a new medicine called AMG
162, given through a shot in the skin.
Endocrinologist Michael McClung, M.D., is Dungan's doctor. He says oral
medications can effectively reduce fracture risk, but some women stop taking
them, while others complain of stomach upset.
"With osteoporosis medicines, it's clear that fewer than 50 percent of the
people who are given a prescription continue their treatment beyond a year," Dr.
McClung, of Providence Portland Medical Center, tells Ivanhoe
In his trial of 400 women, the new injection increased bone density as much as
the oral medications. But since it's given through the skin, it does not cause
stomach upset. Dr. McClung says there's another advantage
"The ability to administer AMG 162 only twice yearly
provides the opportunity to get away from the difficulty that we have of people
stopping their medication," he says.
Women receiving AMG 162 reported no more side effects than those who got a
placebo injection. It will likely have some side effects, but scientists won't
know for sure until it's tested on more women. They must also prove the
injection actually helps prevent fractures. To do so, they'll enroll several
thousand women in another trial expected to last three years..
If you would like more information, please contact:
Paula Gunness
Providence Portland Medical Center
4805 NE
Glisan
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 215-6433
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