title: Prescription of alendronate and risedronate in men: off-label use in a health area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alendronate and risedronate are both effective and safe treatments for osteoporosis in men, but only risedronate has this indication in its data-sheet. We compared their use by gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective descriptive study of prescriptions of risedronate and alendronate in 2012 in primary care in the northwest area of the Community of Madrid. We compared patients and defined daily doses (DDD) dispensed by gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  14.857 patients used 1.847.370 DDD of alendronate or risedronate, 1.145 (7.7%) patients were men. In women alendronate was most prescribed (55% vs. 45%) than risedronate. Risedronate was preferred in men, 47.6% vs. 52.4%, resulting in a statistically significant difference (P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risedronate is preferred to alendronate in men, which is often used off-label, despite the existence of alternatives.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Universitario San Juan de la Cruz, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, España. Electronic address: fleonvaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: León Vázquez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia, Dirección Asistencial Noroeste, Gerencia de Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Majadahonda, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrero Hernández
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Universitario San Juan de la Cruz, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuerpo Triguero
authors.affiliation: Unidad Docente Multidisciplinar de Atención Familiar y Comunitaria, Dirección Asistencial Noroeste, Gerencia de Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Majadahonda, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: M José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Andrés Prado
authors.affiliation: Unidad Docente Multidisciplinar de Atención Familiar y Comunitaria, Dirección Asistencial Noroeste, Gerencia de Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Majadahonda, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cabello Ballesteros
mesh_terms: D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056687:Off-Label Use / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068296:Risedronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D000068296:Risedronic Acid; D019386:Alendronate
keywords: Alendronate; Male; Off-label use; Osteoporosis/drug therapy; Osteoporosis/tratamiento farmacológico; Risedronate; Uso fuera de ficha técnica; Varón; Ácido alendrónico; Ácido risedrónico