Risedronate: Clinical usage

Risedronate is a new bisphosphonate - a family of drugs that inhibit bone r esorption and thus can be used in various bone conditions involving increas ed levels of bone resorption, such as postmenopausal osteoporosis, glucocor ticoid-induced bone loss, and Paget's disease of bone. In placebo-controlle d clinical trials, risedronate has been shown to prevent bone loss in postm enopausal women, to decrease the incidence of vertebral and non vertebral ( including hip) fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, and to prevent bone loss in men and women treated with moderate to high doses of g lucocorticoids. Risedronate has also been shown substantially to decrease t he severity of bone pain and the level of bone turnover in Paget's disease of bone, and to improve the radiographic lesions of this disease. Risedrona te is safe and well tolerated. Thus, risedronate is a new option for the ma nagement of postmenopausal osteoporosis, Paget's disease of bone and cortic osteroid-induced bone loss.