Resumo

ZARATE, Arturo; SAUCEDO, Renata  e  BASURTO, Lourdes. Recomendaciones para el manejo de la osteoporosis. Gac. Méd. Méx [online]. 2004, vol.140, n.2, pp.235-240. ISSN 2696-1288.

Osteoporosis has to be considered only as a risk factor for bone fractures and its measurement by the bone mass index has some limitations. The aim of treatment of osteoporosis is to reduce the frequency of fractures (especially at the vertebral and the hip) which are responsible for morbidity and mortality with the osteoporosis. It has been demonstrated that antiresorptive drugs (bisphosphonates, estrogens, raloxifen) as well as anabolic agents (synthetic parathormone) are useful for preventing fractures. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation is not sufficient to treat persons with osteoporosis. Choice of treatment depends of age, the presence or absence of prevalent fractures, and the degree of bone mineral density measured at the spine and hip. The main inconvenient for the adherence of treatment is the high cost of the medicaments and agents as well as the poor information given to the patients.

Palavras-chave : Osteoporosis; bisphosphonates; raloxifen; parathyroid hormone; estrogens; bone turnover; bone mineral densitometry.