Bisphosphonates for Osteoporosis: Podcast with James Deardorff and Sei Lee

GeriPal - A Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Podcast · Feb 17, 2022 · 45m

My mom is an Asian woman in her 70s with osteoporosis. She tried an oral bisphosphonate and had horrible esophagitis. She said never again, though she eventually tried an IV bisphosphonate. She had terrible flu-like symptoms. She said never again. But based on reports that symptoms are worse the first time, she tried the IV again the next year and fortunately experienced no symptoms. (Story used with permission, thanks mom!).

I tell this story because these issues don't typically register as more than a nuisance for clinicians, who frequently don't understand why their older patient with…