OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis affects a 35% of the Spanish women over 50. This percentage rises to 52% in those who are over 70. Currently, bisphosphonates (alendronate, etidronate and risedronate) and raloxifene are approved by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Healthcare Products for preventing and treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women (PW). In addition, these are the first option of treatment (the Spanish Bone and Mineral Society -SEIOMM) in the Clinical Practice Guidelines (GPC) (2003). Here, we analyse the evolution of consumption of bisphosphonates and raloxifene in Spanish PW (over 50), during the period 1999 to 2004. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the consumption was made, selecting the four drugs for osteoporosis in PW treatment. Paget's disease data were not included. Drug consumption data were provided by the Ministry of Health and Consume Database. The figures are presented as number of dispensed units (standard package), as numbers of DDDs / 1000 PW / day, according to the ATC/DDD system, Index 2006, and as Euros (Price to Customer tax-free) / Dispensed DDDs / 1000 PW / day. Demographics were consulted in the Spanish INE Database. RESULTS: The number of dispensed units of Alendronate, Risedronate and Raloxifene between 2003 and 2004 were 43.41%, 126.62%, and 19.75%, respectively. Only Etidronate decreased, but only a 9.64%. From among the results to emphasize the figures of DDDs / 1000 PW / day between 2003 and 2004 that show also this increases (15.87%, 60.18%, and 1.45% for Alendronate, Risedronate and Raloxifene, respectively). Alendronate presented the higher cost in 2004 (€12,297,15/DDDs/1000 PW/day. CONCLUSIONS: The indicators used in this study have permitted establish that dispensing data of osteoporosis in PW treatment financed by Spanish NHS had a significant increase in 2004. These data coincide with the implement of the Spanish GPC.