Teriparatide is best described as which category of osteoporosis therapy?

• A. Anabolic agent
• B. Antiresorptive agent
• C. Hormone replacement
• D. Calcitonin analog

Answer: (A)

Teriparatide is an anabolic osteoporosis therapy. It’s a recombinant fragment of parathyroid hormone that, when given intermittently (daily injections), stimulates osteoblast activity and bone formation more than it stimulates bone resorption. This leads to increased bone mass and a lower fracture risk. That anabolic action sets it apart from antiresorptives (which mainly slow bone breakdown by inhibiting osteoclasts), hormone replacement (which would involve other hormones like estrogen), and calcitonin analogs (which primarily inhibit osteoclast activity with a weaker effect on bone formation).