Current investigative and clinical experience with alendronate in osteoporosis

The bisphosphonates represent a new class of pharmacologic agents that inhibit bone resorption and decrease the rate of bone turnover, making them of potential clinical value in the treatment of osteoporosis. Among these drugs, the new aminobisphosphonate alendronate (Fosamax(TM)) preferentially inhibits bone resorption at doses that do not inhibit mineralization, thus permitting continuous administration. In extensive clinical use, alendronate has been shown to reduce the turnover, and increase the density, of bone, and reduces the incidence of new vertebral fractures and loss of height in osteoporotic postmenopausal women.