Journal Article

The Effects of Osteoporotic and Non-osteoporotic Medications on Fracture Risk and Bone Mineral Density

Bruno H. Stricker, M. Carola Zillikens, Catherine E. de Keyser, Anna C. van der Burgh

2021

Overview

Osteoporosis is a highly prevalent bone disease affecting more than 37.5 million individuals in the European Union (EU) and the  United States of America (USA). It is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), impaired bone quality, and loss of structural and biomechanical properties, resulting in reduced bone strength. An increase in morbidity and mortality is seen in patients with osteoporosis, caused by the approximately 3.5 million new osteoporotic fractures occurring every year in the EU. Currently, different medications are available for the treatment of osteoporosis, including anti-resorptive and osteoanabolic medications. Bisphosphonates, which belong to the anti-resorptive medications, are the standard treatment for osteoporosis based on their positive effects on bone, long-term experience, and low costs. However, not only medications used for the treatment of osteoporosis can affect bone: several other medications are suggested to have an effect on bone as well, especially on fracture risk and BMD. Knowledge about the positive and negative effects of different medications on both fracture risk and BMD is important, as it can contribute to an improvement in osteoporosis prevention and treatment in general, and, even more importantly, to the individual’s health. In this review, we therefore discuss the effects of both osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic medications on fracture risk and BMD. In addition, we discuss the underlying mechanisms of action.

• Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC,Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Animals / Biomechanics / Biomedical materials / Bisphosphonates / Bone (long) / Bone Density / Bone Density - drug effects / Bone Density Conservation Agents / Bone Density Conservation Agents - pharmacology / Bone diseases / Bone mineral density / Bone strength / Diphosphonates / Diphosphonates - pharmacology / FDA approval / Federal regulation / Fractures / Gene expression / Glycoproteins / Humans / Internal Medicine / Kinases / Mechanical properties / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Morbidity / Mortality / Osteoporosis / Osteoporosis - complications / Osteoporosis - drug therapy / Osteoporotic Fractures / Osteoporotic Fractures - prevention & control / Pharmacology/Toxicology / Pharmacotherapy / Phosphorylation / Prevention / Review / Review Article / Risk