Answers offered on senior health issues

As part of the September Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline featuring Dr. C. Edward Wyne and Sandra McNicoll, readers were invited to submit questions regarding senior health issues.

Here are some of the questions and their answers, edited to avoid repetition of the queries.

Wyne is a geriatrician at the Intermountain Senior Clinic, where McNicoll is an advanced-practice registered nurse.

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QUESTION: How successful are the Reclast Zoledronic acid IV injections once-a-year shots for osteoporosis? What results can you expect? What are the side effects?

ANSWER: The Reclast IV administration is once a year. Currently, there are only a few clinical trials for data. Treatment reduces the risk for nonvertebral fracture by 25 percent and 41 percent for hip fracture, according to one study

It is definitely an option for those who cannot take oral medication for any reason. You must have a clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis. You also need to check with your insurance to see if this is a covered benefit. Side effects include mild flulike symptoms for one to three days. The results are individual. Consult your individual primary care physician. (McNicoll)

ANSWER: Reclast does show improvement in bone density. There is data that shows fewer spine fractures, although not a lower hip fracture rate. Fosamax, a generic pill, does both.

I recommended Reclast to my patients who have difficulty taking the oral medicine in the necessary way. (Wyne)

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QUESTION: I had a pneumonia shot four years ago and wonder how often they are needed. I always get an annual flu shot. I had shingles about two years ago. Do I need to get a shingles shot or did the incident of the disease increase my immunity to where one is not now necessary? I'm 69 years old and in generally good health.

ANSWER: A pneumonia shot should be given once after age 65, although for someone who has difficulty with lung infections I will often repeat every 10 years.

The shingles vaccine ( Zostavax) is a little new for some of those questions. I suspect your recent bout of shingles will give you increased immunity for five to 10 years, so I would recommend you get the shingles vaccine in five years.