Emerging therapeutic opportunities for skeletal restoration.

ABSTRACT: Osteoporosis, a syndrome characterized by thin bones and fractures, has become more prevalent in both women and men. Established therapies for treating this disorder consist primarily of drugs that prevent bone loss, such as the bisphosphonates and selective oestrogen receptor modulators. Although these drugs have been shown to reduce fractures in randomized trials, there is an urgent need for treatments that could lower fracture risk further without additional adverse effects. The introduction of parathyroid hormone (teriparatide), which significantly increases bone mineral density, albeit for a relatively short duration, raised expectations that drugs that stimulate bone formation might cure osteoporosis. After outlining current approaches for treating osteoporosis, this Review focuses o

SUBMITTER: Kawai M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3135105 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature