What Is Teriparatide Used For?

Teriparatide is used for the treatment of osteoporosis in men and women. It works by regulating calcium and phosphate in the body. The medication can also occasionally be used in an "off-label" fashion to treat low levels of parathyroid hormone, osteoporosis due to steroid use, and osteoporosis in premenopausal women. There are currently no approved teriparatide uses for children.

Forteo (Teriparatide) for Osteoporosis

What Is Teriparatide Used For? -- An Overview

Teriparatide (Forteo^™) is a prescription medication that is approved for the treatment of osteoporosis. It is a manufactured version of parathyroid hormone and must be given by injection. Specifically, teriparatide is approved for use in the following groups of people:

Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and a high risk for a fracture
Men with primary osteoporosis (that is not due to other medical conditions or medications) or hypogonadal osteoporosis (which is caused by low levels of testosterone) and a high risk for a fracture
Men or women with osteoporosis due to long-term use of glucocorticoid steroids (such as prednisone) and a high risk for a fracture.

If you have osteoporosis, you may be at a high risk for fractures if:

You have already had a fracture due to osteoporosis
You cannot take other osteoporosis medications (or they have not been effective for you)
Your healthcare provider thinks you are at high risk for fractures.

(What Is Teriparatide Used For? Continued: Page 2)