Major Osteoporosis, Osteopenia medications : description, effectiveness.

There are five main types of Osteoporosis, Osteopenia medications:

1. Bisphosphonates such as alendronate or risedronate. Bisphosphonates bind to the mineral surface in bone and they interfere with the work of osteoclasts.

   (The bone cells that remove bone.) Thus bisphosphonates slow bone loss.

   The main Bisphosphonates in use are Alendronate (Fosamax), Risendronate (Actonel) and now bandronate (Boniva) For more information about these drugs go to Fosamax or Actonel or Boniva

   There are three additional bisphosphonates have been approved for use. All are zolendronic acid, which is a bisphosphonate. These drugs are taken by infusion, rather than by pill. The names of these two drugs are: Aclasta which is sold in the United States as Reclast and the other form of zolendronic acid known as Zometa . Somepeople have found that their health care providers want to recommend one of these drugs as treatment.

2. Calcitonin . Calcitonin also inhibits the work of osteoclasts. This osteopenia medication can be admininstered by injection or by nasal spray. The nasal spray is used once a day and it can be taken at any time of the day. It has few

   negative side effects. Some report a 'runny nose'. Calcitonin has been shown to decrease spinal fractures and increase bone density of spinal vertebrae by 2.4% when used as directed for two years. If you want to read more about this Osteopenia / Osteoporosis medication go to Calcitonin

3. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)- Sometimes called Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT).

   HRT has been approved for both the treatment and prevention of Osteoporosis. HRT slows the accelerated bone loss that occurs in most women during and right after menopause.

   There are a number of serious risks with HRT including an increased lifelong risk of endometrial cancer and increased lifelong risk of breast cancer. Any woman considering HRT as an osteopenia medication needs to discuss both benefits and risks with her health care provider - especially if she has a family history of cancer or other cancer risk factors.

4. Strontium ranelate - Protelos is a new drug which both stimulates the osteoblasts and inhibits the osteoclasts. Information can be found at Protelos

5. Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators: Raloxifene - Evista. Although SERMS sometimes act like estrogen, they are not estrogens.

   There is a new SERM on the market, Bazedoxifene or Conbriza

   More information about Raloxifene, Evista as an osteopenia medication may be found at Evista

6. Forteo or Teriparatide is a medication sometimes prescribed for spinal Osteoporosis.

   Although Forteo is not usually prescribed for Osteopenia, I include it since so many readers have asked me to add a page about it.

   Go to Forteo .

7. Thiazide diuretics. This group of medications is usually prescribed for hypertension. Not many physicians think of them as an Osteoporosis or Osteopenia medication.

   But research shows they can be an effective for treatment of bone loss.

   The New England Journal of Medicine published, "Thiazide effect on the mineral content of bone". by RD Wasnich, RJ Benfante, K Yano, L Heilbrun and JM Vogel in 1983.

   This study included 1368 men with a mean age of 68 years. Of these 323 were taking thiazides for hypertension. Thiazide users had significantly more bone mineral content at all sites tested than did non-users.

   The authors concluded: "These findings suggest the possibility of a preventive or therapeutic role for thiazides in osteoporosis".

   Another study was published in Lancet in 1989. It was done by the Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee. It also concluded that thiazides protect against Osteoporosis in elderly people.

   Other studies can be found at: Osteopenia Medications -Thiazide Diuretics Although most health care providers do not usually think of thiazide diuretics as osteopenia medication, if you have hypertension you may want to raise this in your discussion of your osteopenia care plan.

New medication in clinical trials: Densoumab

Other drugs for Osteopenia or Osteoporosis

In Japan and Italy, there is a drug called Ipriflavone which is marketed under different names. In other countries Ipriflavone can be bought as a natural supplement.

In the EU there is Protelos or Strontium Ranelate In other coutries where Protelos is not yet approved, some are using Natural Strontium Supplements

Resources used in creating this page:
Karine Bohme with Frances Budden, MD. The Silent Thief. 2001.
Nancy E. Lane, MD. The Osteoporosis Book 1999. Read about additional Osteopenia Treatments at: Osteopenia Treatments