Pharmaceuticals causing vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis and fractures – risks, associations and management in healthcare
Friday 22 march, Ola Nordqvist, PhD, presents three of his studies which focus on bone related side effects from medicines as well as the risk management of these side effects within healthcare. During his half time seminar, Ola would like to discuss how his results is best utilized to promote patient safety.
More than 70 000 fractures in Sweden are caused by low energy traumas annually. Fractures occurring secondary to low energy traumas are associated with low bone mineral density (osteoporosis). Low bone mineral density is an indication of bones having lost calcium and other minerals. An important effect of vitamin D is to stimulate the absorption of calcium from the gut. One consequence of vitamin D deficiency is bone loss, leading to osteoporosis and low energy fractures.
Low energy fractures, (secondary) osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency are known side effects of certain medicines that e.g. interfere with vitamin D uptake and metabolism.
By using large volumes of data from electronic healthcare records Ola has showed that very few patients prescribed medicines known to cause vitamin D-deficiency were tested for vitamin D and only few were treated with vitamin D supplementation, something that may be interpreted as a low risk awareness of these side effects. This was also clarified and confirmed in a qualitative study where doctors working in primary care were interviewed. The doctors also regarded the risk of osteoporotic fractures as something much more important than the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
In a study with real world data from more than 46 000 patients Ola has assessed the increased rates of low energy fractures among patients being prescribed antiepileptic drugs. The risk factors of importance in this study have been utilized in order to create a fracture risk index.
The seminar will also focus on discussing the significance of the thesis and how the results can be used to create better routines for risk assessment and to improve the osteoporosis treatment in risk groups. This in order to ultimately reduce the risk of future low energy fractures due side effects from medicines.
Time: Friday 22 march, at 14.30-15.30
Place: Azur, House Vita, the new university in the harbor in Kalmar, address Norra Kajplanen 6.
The seminar is held in English.
Welcome!