Loading...
How do estrogen-progestin and the newer bisphosphonate drugs compare in preventing osteoporosis after menopause? This multicenter trial randomized about 1,600 postmenopausal volunteers under age 60 to receive alendronate (2.5 or 5 mg), placebo, or open-label estrogen-progestin (0.625 mg of Premarin, 5 mg of Provera) daily for two years. Most women did not have decreased bone mineral density (BMD) at baseline.
Changes in BMD of the hip, spine, forearm, and total body were assessed annually by dual-energy absorptiometry. As expected, women on placebo lost about 2% of BMD at all sites. Women taking 5 mg of alendronate had increases at most sites, ranging from 0.7% (total body) to 3.5% (spine). Women taking 2.5 mg of alendronate had an intermedi…