Compliance with a pharmacological secondary fracture prevention policy.
The aim of this study was to monitor the compliance of a specific group of patients to the initiation of pharmacological fracture prevention therapies, in particular calcium and Vitamin D3 supplements. We used a cohort of 276 patients admitted to one hospital with an acute hip fracture. Therapy was started in hospital and compliance checked at out patient follow-up. Written and verbal advice was given to support therapy. The mean age was 80.8 years and 82% were female. One hundred and ninety-nine patients were alive at one year from injury. For these patients 22 (11.1%) were on therapy prior to fracturing their hip. Of the remainder, 111/177 (62.7%) stated they were taking therapy to reduce the risk of fractures. These results demonstrate that an aggressive policy of prescribing can result in good levels of compliance with therapy.
Norman
Marilyn
M
Orthopaedic Department, Peterborough District Hospital, Thorpe Road, Peterborough PE3 6DA, UK. mjparker@doctors.org.uk
Parker
Martyn J
MJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D002118:Calcium