Trends in HRT and anti-osteoporosis medication prescribing in a European population after the WHI study

Abstract

To assess the prescription patterns of anti-osteoporosis medications, three cross-sectional analyses were performed between 2004 and 2006. Women aged 50 and older were identified from the health insurance claims database of the Rhône-Alpes area. HRT prescriptions decreased while bisphosphonates and raloxifene prescriptions increased, respectively, in different age groups. The objective of this study was to assess the prescription patterns of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and anti-osteoporosis medications (AOM) in post-menopausal French women since the WHI and the revision of the French clinical practice guidelines in 2004. Three cross-sectional analyses were performed between 2004 and 2006. Women aged 50 and older who had at least one claim for a prescription for HRT, bisphosphonates or raloxifene were identified from health insurance claims database of the Rhône-Alpes area. A 39% decrease in the number of women who had HRT was observed (67,241 to 41,024). Twenty-one percent and 18% increases were observed, respectively, for bisphosphonates (39,192 to 47,395) and raloxifene (10,263 to 12,060). HRT and raloxifene were mainly prescribed to women aged 55 to 64 (58% and 39%, respectively), bisphosphonates to women aged 65 to 84 (70%). Ninety-eight percent of women had HRT prescribed by a gynaecologist or a general practitioner (GP). Most AOM were prescribed by a GP; 13% of women had AOM prescribed by a rheumatologist. Prescriptions for HRT in post-menopausal French women have significantly decreased while bisphosphonates and raloxifene prescriptions have increased, respectively, in different age groups but to a lesser extent than the HRT decrease.