Treatments

Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, the following medications are approved by the FDA for postmenopausal women to either prevent and/or treat osteoporosis:

• Estrogens (brand names such as Premarin, Ogen, Estrace, Estraderm and Estratab, Prempro, and others)
• *Alendronate (brand name Fosamax) is also approved as a treatment for men
• Calcitonin (brand name Miacalcin)
• Raloxifene (brand name Evista)
• **Risedronate (brand name Actonel)

*Alendronate is approved for treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women.

**Risedronate is approved for prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women.

Treatments under investigation include:

• sodium fluoride vitamin D metabolites
• parathyroid hormone
• other bisphosphonates and SERMs