Teriparatide: Benefits and Administration

Teriparatide is a medication used in the treatment of osteoporosis. It is a form of parathyroid hormone that helps stimulate bone formation and increase bone mass, reducing the risk of fractures.

teriparatide FAQ

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What is teriparatide used for?

Written by Cerner Multum. What is teriparatide? Teriparatide is used to treat osteoporosis caused by menopause, steroid use, or gonadal failure. teriparatide is for use when you have a high risk of bone fracture due to osteoporosis. Teriparatide may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is teriparatide (Forteo)?

Teriparatide, sold under the brand name Forteo, is a form of parathyroid hormone (PTH) consisting of the first ( N-terminus) 34 amino acids, which is the bioactive portion of the hormone. It is an effective anabolic (promoting bone formation) agent used in the treatment of some forms of osteoporosis.

What are the side effects of teriparatide?

Teriparatide may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have: a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out (may occur within 4 hours after injection); high calcium levels--confusion, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, lack of energy, constipation, increased thirst or urination, weight loss. pain anywhere in your body.

Is teriparatide a good treatment for osteoporosis?

Teriparatide (also known as parathyroid hormone treatment) is a drug treatment for osteoporosis. It can help to strengthen bones, making them less likely to break. It's available as a daily injection, which you give yourself just under the skin.

Why is teriparatide prescribed?

Why is this medication prescribed? Teriparatide injection is used to treat osteoporosis (a condition in which the bones become thin and weak and break easily) in women who have undergone menopause ('change in life,' end of menstrual periods), who are at high risk of fractures (broken bones), and cannot use other osteoporosis treatments.

How does teriparatide work?

Parathyroid hormone is made by the body to help control calcium levels in the blood. Teriparatide acts like or 'mimics' parathyroid hormone inside your bones. It works by stimulating the cells that build bone. This is different to how other osteoporosis drug treatments work. You may still break a bone while taking teriparatide.

When can I get teriparatide?

You may be offered teriparatide if you have had many spinal fractures and are at a high risk of breaking another bone. This will usually be after you've tried a more common drug treatment, or if other treatments aren't suitable for you. Teriparatide is sometimes known as parathyroid hormone treatment.