Menopause Society Practice Exam

Treating osteoporosis centers on drugs that slow bone loss by inhibiting bone resorption. Bisphosphonates are the most commonly used and typically first-line therapy. They attach to bone and suppress osteoclast activity, reducing bone turnover and helping to increase or stabilize bone mineral density, which lowers the risk of fractures. Examples include alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, and zoledronic acid, given orally on a weekly/monthly schedule or by yearly IV infusion. Other drug classes listed serve different roles. ACE inhibitors treat high blood pressure and heart failure, not osteoporosis. Thiazolidinediones are diabetes medications that can actually worsen bone density and fracture risk. Statins lower cholesterol and have unclear or limited evidence for a role in treating osteoporosis, so they are not standard osteoporosis therapies.