Introduction
fractures, hip- and vertebral fractures, Osteoporosis, chronic disease
FRAGILITY, POSTMENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS, OSTEOPOROSIS, CHRONIC DISEASE
Osteoporosis is a chronic disease characterized by increased skeletal fragility and risk of fractures. Alendronate is mainstay in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis as it significantly reduces the risk of hip- and vertebral fractures. The effect is gained as early as 12–18 months after initiation of treatment [The level of bone turnover can be monitored by the bone turnover markers (BTM) C-terminal telopeptide type I collagen (CTx) that is released during bone resorption and collagen degradation and N-terminal procollagen type I propeptide (PINP) that is released during bone formation and collagen formation. With alendronate treatment bone turnover is maximally suppressed within 12–14 weeks [