Bisphosphonates in osteoporosis.

Bisphosphonates are compounds characterized by a P-C-P structure. They act essentially on bone, inhibiting bone resorption. Through this mechanism they decrease bone loss, increase bone mineral density, and decrease bone turnover. They are therefore administered in diseases with elevated bone destruction, such as Paget's disease, metastatic bone disease, and osteoporosis. In the latter they diminish both vertebral and nonvertebral fractures. The adverse events are few, mostly gastrointestinal, and can be avoided to a large extent by correct administration. Since there are no other compounds available which have a similar profile, they represent today the drugs of choice in the treatment and the secondary prevention of osteoporosis.