Statins and bone metabolismArticles
Reseach revealed that statins, inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, used in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia, can stimulate bone formation as well as inhibit bone resorption. Their mechanism of action on both osteoblasts and osteoclasts is most probably due to the inhibition of protein prenylation due to a lack of isoprenoid intermediate products of the mevalonate pathway inhibited by statins. So far,the results of clinical tri als that investigated the effect of statin administration on bone metabolism are highly contradictory. With systemic administration, only a small pro portion of the statins now used in the management of hyperlipidaemia reaches the bone. Only statins with better availability in bone tissue have a fu ture in the treatment of osteoporosis.
Keywords: statins, bone formation, bone resorption, osteoporosis
Published: June 11, 2003 Show citation
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