Osteoporosis treatment: an evidence-based approach

Osteoporosis is a disease that results in decreased bone mass and quality of bone, which may lead to fracture. Clinicians need to counsel individuals on appropriate intake of calcium and vitamin D, increasing weight-bearing exercise, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and avoiding smoking. A variety of nonhormonal pharmacological options are available for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, including bisphosphonates, calcitonin (Miacalcin®), raloxifene (Evista®), teriparatide (Forteo®), and denosumab (Prolia®). The National Osteoporosis Foundation and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists have recently published new guidelines, and it is important for clinicians to be familiar with the evidence behind each of these treatment modalities. It is paramount for nurses to make evidence-based, cost-effective decisions about pharmacological therapy based on individual patient-specific factors.