SHORT-AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF CALCITONIN AND CALCIUM ADMINISTRATION ON BLOOD CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM AND INORGANIC PHOSPHORUS IN POST MENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS

This paper studies the effects of the administration of calcitonin (CT ) and Ca on post menopausal osteoporosis, immediately (short-term) and after three months (long-term) of treatment, on total and ionic calci um (Ca), magnesium (Mg), inorganic phosphorus (Pi), calcitonin (CT) an d parathyroid hormone (PTH) in plasma. The short-term results show a d ecrease in total and ionic Ca and Pi four hours after the beginning of the treatment; at seven hours, only Pi varies. A decrease in the tota l and ionic Ca was observed after three months of CT treatment (long-t erm effects). No hormonal (PTH and CT) variations were found either in the short or the long-term. However, the PTH/CT ratio decreased signi ficantly during the experiment and this may be an important factor in explaining the long-term Ca variations.