OSTEOPOROSIS AND HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

Abstract

BACKGROUND Osteoporosis affects almost every other woman after menopause. Fractures due to osteoporosis are a significant cause of disability and death, therefore we try to prevent themwith antiosteoporotic medications.Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had been a mainstay of osteoporosis preventionand treatment for a long time, although only with the publication of the breakthroughWomen’s Health Initiative study in 2002 we got consistent data about beneficial effects ofHRT on bone mass and fracture prevention. Paradoxically, the same study provided alsodata on harmful cardiovascular effects of HRT and considerably limited its use in the field.However, more recent data showed that HRT is safe for younger women immediately aftermenopause, so it could be easily prescribed for vasomotor symptoms relief. At the sametime, HRT is beneficial for bones, as well. On the other hand, HRT is mainly not suitable forolder women and long-term treatment. CONCLUSIONS As older women are those who sustain the majority of osteoporotic fractures, HRT isleaving its main role in osteoporosis prevention and treatment to other drugs, first of all tobisphosphonates and strontium ranelate