Effect of Alendronate on Limited-Activity Days and Bed-Disability Days Caused by Back Pain in Postmenopausal Women With Existing Vertebral Fractures

Abstract

OSTEOPOROSIS IS a common disorder that results in millions of fractures and a substantial burden in health care costs and disability among older women.¹ Vertebral fractures are the most common osteoporotic fracture: 5% of 50-year-old white women and 25% of 80-year-old white women have at least 1 prevalent vertebral fracture.² The rate of new vertebral fracture is less than 0.5% per year in 50-year-old white women, 2% to 3% per year in 80-year-old white women,³ and 3 to 4 times higher in women with an existing vertebral fracture than in those without fracture.⁴