Early animal studies did report bone tumors in mice that were given parathyroid long-term. Such effects have not been observed in humans to date. However, people with Paget disease, (a disorder in which bone thickens but also, oddly, weakens), should not take parathyroid hormone, since they are at higher than normal risk for bone tumors.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is sometimes used to prevent osteoporosis. A Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study found that women who received estrogen, or estrogen plus progestin, therapy had fewer fractures than women who received placebo.
However, WHI studies have also shown that these hormones increase the risk for breast cancer, blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. For this reason, women need to balance the benefits that HRT has on bone-loss protection, with the risks it carries for other serious health conditions. The FDA recommends that women first try other medications for prevention of osteoporosis.
HRT is available in many different forms, including pills and skin patches. [For more information, see In-Depth Report #40: Menopause.]
Other Investigational Drugs
- Diuretics. Diuretics are used to treat high blood pressure. They have different effects on osteoporosis depending on the type, with loop diuretics associated with bone loss. Thiazide diuretics, on the other hand, protect against fracture, and may prove to be particularly useful for men at risk for osteoporosis. Protection against fracture lasts only during the time they are used. There are many thiazides and thiazide-related drugs. Some common ones are chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Hygroton), indapamide (Lozol), and hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, HydroDiuril). Researchers are also studying how the combination of beta-blockers (another drug used to treat high blood pressure) and thiazide diuretics may offer bone protection.
- Strontium. Strontium, a chemical element found in bone, may help increase bone formation and decrease bone resorption.
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