Bisphosphonate therapy is treatment with bisphosphonates, a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone density and are the most commonly prescribed treatment for osteoporosis and similar diseases, with evidence that they may reduce fracture risk in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis. Bone tissue is kept in balance by osteoblasts building bone and osteoclasts breaking it down, and bisphosphonates slow bone loss by encouraging osteoclasts to undergo programmed cell death. Beyond osteoporosis, the drugs are also used to treat Paget's disease of bone, bone metastasis, multiple myeloma, primary hyperparathyroidism, osteogenesis imperfecta, fibrous dysplasia and other conditions marked by bone fragility.
Facts
Partially Attested
Origin YearSourced to the subject's own accountSource states only that bisphosphonates were first investigated in the 1960s for disorders of bone metabolism; the compounds themselves were developed earlier, in the 19th century, for industrial use (softening water in irrigation systems), not as a medical therapy. Connections
Treats
Bisphosphonate therapy is a standard treatment to reduce fracture risk in osteogenesis imperfecta.
Bisphosphonate therapy is the standard treatment for Paget's disease of bone.
Sources
1. Bisphosphonate (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, first paragraphQuote, History section, first paragraph
Bisphosphonates were developed in the 19th century but were first investigated in the 1960s for use in disorders of bone metabolism.
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