EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF CALCITONIN IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Calcitonin in general, and, more specifically, salmon calcitonin (salc atonin), has been known for 30 years to be a specific inhibitor of bon e resorption. Studies have confirmed its efficacy in metabolic bone di seases characterised by excessive bone resorption, such as osteoporosi s. Most randomised studies in which salcatonin and oral calcium were a dministered for 1 to 5 years to recently postmenopausal women for the prevention of osteoporosis have shown that bone mineral density or bon e content of the lumbar spine increased significantly, compared with a reduction among women receiving calcium only. Prospective studies hav e shown that salcatonin is effective in the treatment of established o steoporosis, reducing significantly the relative risk of new vertebral fractures. The benefits of salcatonin nasal spray therapy were observ ed in the majority of women studied, and it has been shown to be an ef fective alternative for osteoporotic women more than 5 years postmenop ausal who refuse estrogens, or for whom estrogens are contraindicated. Finally, in established osteoporosis, nasal calcitonin possesses a po tent analgesic effect. The well-demonstrated effects of nasal calciton in permit it to be considered a well tolerated and efficient approach for prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.