[Therapeutic agents for disorders of bone and calcium metabolism. Osteoporotic fracture prevention by strontium ranelate].

Bone loss results in osteoporosis and increased susceptibility to bone fractures. Importantly, osteoporosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. With a constantly increasing aging population worldwide, early prevention of bone loss is essential for adequate control of this condition. Strontium ranelate, an oral treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis, is unique in its mode of action as it is the sole anti-osteoporotic agent that both decreases bone resorption and increases bone formation. Its efficacy to reduce vertebral and non-vertebral fractures including those of the hip, in addition to its safety profile has been demonstrated in the Spinal Osteoporosis Therapeutic Intervention (SOTI) and Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis (TROPOS) clinical studies over 3 years and recently confirmed over the long-term. Furthermore, a pre-planned analysis of a sub-group of patients aged 80 years and over demonstrated that, currently, strontium ranelate is the only anti-osteoporotic agent to reduce vertebral and non-vertebral fractures in this age group.