Medication - for medication potentially causing osteoporosis, the positive effects of them needs to be compared with the degenerative effects on bone.
- Steroid-induced osteoporosis (SIOP) arises due to use of glucocorticoids - analogous to Cushing's syndrome and involving mainly the axial skeleton. The synthetic glucocorticoid prescription drug prednisone is a main candidate after prolonged intake. Some professional guidelines recommend prophylaxis in patients who take the equivalent of more than 30 mg hydrocortisone (7.5 mg of prednisolone), especially when this is in excess of three months.
- Barbiturates (probably due to accelerated metabolism of vitamin D) and some other enzyme-inducing antiepileptics.
- Proton pump inhibitors - these drugs inhibit the production of stomach acid; it is thought that this interferes with calcium absorption.
Sources encyclopedia
