Osteoporosis: A Review of Novel Agents

Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by decreased new bone formation, increased bone resorption, or both processes occurring simultaneously. This disease affects more than 10 million individuals older than 50 years in the United States. If this disease is left untreated, it can result in fragility fractures, which are currently seen in more than 1 million people in the United States. New agents have been developed to add to the list of treatment options that can be used to treat this disease. This article summarizes two specific agents that were approved by the Food and Drug Administration within the last few years: abaloparatide (Tymlos) and romosozumab (Evenity). This article also highlights the crucial role that nursing staff may play in the management of osteoporosis.