Raloxifene: bone and cardiovascular effects.
Raloxifene (RLX), a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), is currently indicated for the prevention and treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. At present, RLX is evaluated in other areas of study that include the reduction of the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular (CV) disease in post-menopausal women. This SERM acts as an estrogen agonist in the skeleton, on serum lipid metabolism and on a number of coagulation factors, while it is an estrogen antagonist in the breast and uterus. Although our current data are incomplete, RLX has a favourable risk-benefit safety profile and is one of the most promising medical agents not only for the prevention of osteoporosis, but also for a large number of other disorders in post-menopausal women.
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ancona, Italy. cm.francucci@ao-umbertoprimo.marche.it
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D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride