Other Medicinal Options To Fight Osteoporosis
Although bisphosphonates remain the first line of treatment for osteoporosis, there are several other approaches for managing the disease in case that is contraindicated to your health condition. Other medicinal therapies in line chiefly deal with replacing certain hormones in the body. These substitute medicaments are also becoming popular in reversing the effects of osteoporosis on the bones.
Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Before the breakthrough of bisphosphonates in medical science, hormonal replacement method is the most preferred approach towards managing osteoporosis. Especially those who are at the stage of menopause, women are given estrogen or a combination of both estrogen and progestin to prevent bone resorption as well as the occurrence of fracture. However, HRTs reached a critical juncture when a July 2002 researched revealed that this drug can significantly increase the risk for diseases like breast cancer, heart disease and stroke in women.
Evista (raloxifene)
Evista is a classified selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that has estrogenic impacts on bones and anti-estrogenic actions on the uterus and the breasts. In a manner different from HRT, raloxifene does not augment the risk of breast cancer. However, it shows that this drug furthers the formation of clots in vein and lungs.
Protelos (strontium ranelate)
In the continuous process of bone remodeling, strontium ranelate works in two ways: diminishes calcium loss during bone resorption, and excites osteoblasts which are the bone cells responsible for bone formation. This is a prescription drug given to women with osteoporosis who are at the menopausal stage. Unfortunately, this drug is only sold in Europe and is yet to be permitted by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.
Despite having several options for treating osteoporosis, choosing whats best for your medical condition necessitates the medical advice of your health care provider. Management of osteoporosis is no longer dependent to bisphosphonate drugs such as Fosamax. It is not necessary to put yourself at risk of serious adverse effects which have now been the root of people filing a Fosamax lawsuit against the maker of the drug.