Endocrine Abstracts

All of the new drugs that have been used or become available over the past decade for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis are so-called “anti-resorptives”. These include bisphosphonates (etidronate, alendronate and risedronate), hormone replacement therapy, selective estrogen receptor modulators (raloxifene), and calcitonins. All reduce vertebral fracture risk and some reduce nonvertebral fracture risk, but there are obvious theoretical advantages to using agents that stimulate bone formation and restore lost bone architecture. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is the first of such anabolic agents to be approved for treatment of osteoporosis.