Prescription Patterns of Anti-osteoporosis Medications by Gynecologists / 대한폐경학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To describe prescription patterns by gynecologists for osteoporosis therapy and to compare with the prescription patterns by physicians of other medical specialties based on the data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. METHODS: A total of 28,568 prescription claims by gynecologists of 633,870 prescription claims by physicians with medications for osteoporosis alone or medications for other indications, including osteoporosis, were analyzed. The medications for osteoporosis alone were, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), calcitonin (injection or nasal spray), vitamin K2, ipriflavone, and fluoride. The medications for other indications including osteoporosis were estrogen, tibolone, testosterone, calcium, calcium-vitamin D complex, vitamin D, and oxymetholone. RESULTS: Anti-osteoporosis medications were prescribed by 4.7% of gynecologists. Calcium and vitamin D were the most commonly prescribed medications by gynecologists (60.7%), followed by hormones, including tibolone (44%). Bisphosphonates, including bisphosphonate complex, were prescribed by 27.5% of gynecologists and SERMs were prescribed by 3.6% of gynecologists. Amongst all prescribers, the percentage of gynecologists was highest for hormones (50.6%), followed by tibolone (31.0%). When both medications were combined, the percentage of gynecologists among prescribers was 81.6%. The combination rate of calcium with other anti-osteoporosis medications was highest in gynecologists among prescribers of medical specialties (34.1%). CONCLUSION: A very small percentage of gynecologists prescribed anti-osteoporosis medications, while calcium, vitamin D, and hormones, including tibolone, were commonly prescribed by gynecologists.