Table 1 Differences in drug indications and benefits of osteoporosis medications between women and men

From: Insights and implications of sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis

Medications

Sex differences in drug indications

Sex differences in benefits

BMD

VFs

NVFs

Alendronate

Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Women with osteoporosis due to steroid use

✔

✔

✔

Men with primary osteoporosis, hypogonadal osteoporosis or GIOP

✔

✔

✖

Ibandronate

Prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women

✔

✔

✔

Not approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in men

✔

✖

✖

Risedronate

Postmenopausal osteoporosis or GIOP in women

Men with osteoporosis

✔

✔

✔

✔

✖

✖

Pamidronate

Women with osteoporosis at high fracture risk

✔

✔

✔

✖

✖

✖

Zoledronic acid

Postmenopausal osteoporosis or GIOP in women

Men with primary osteoporosis

Men with GIOP

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✖

✖

Denosumab

Menopausal women at high fracture risk

Men with primary osteoporosis

Men with ADT-associated osteoporosis

✔

✔

✔

✔

✖

✖

✔

✔

✖

Strontium ranelate

Women with osteoporosis at high fracture risk

Adult men with osteoporosis

✔

✔

✔

✔

✖

✖

Teriparatide

Menopausal women with osteoporosis

Men with primary osteoporosis

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✖

  1. ✓ evidence available, ✖ lack of evidence or insufficient evidence, high fracture risk is defined as having multiple risk factors for fracture or a history of osteoporotic fracture
  2. ADT androgen deprivation therapy, BMD bone mineral density, GIOP glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, NVFs nonvertebral fractures, VFs vertebral fractures
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