Postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The postmenopausal state is the most common underlying cause for osteoporosis and most of our understanding of the condition relates to this group. Recent evidence has suggested that hormone therapy may no longer have the pre-eminent place it once held but the same studies have also confirmed its antifracture efficacy. However, an increasing variety of alternative therapies are available for the postmenopausal woman. Furthermore, recent understanding of the mechanisms of bone loss after estrogen withdrawal, suggest that newer even better targeted therapies might be developed in the future.