Medications that increase risk of Osteoporosis

Medications that can cause osteoporosis

Certain medicines are known to cause bone loss, which may lead to osteoporosis. These include:

• Oral or high-dose inhaled corticosteroids—such as prednisone and beclomethasone (QVAR)—used for more than 6 months to treat conditions such as asthma, arthritis, and lupus.
• Thyroid replacement medicine, if the dose is more than the body needs. This should be monitored by checking the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) every year.
• Medicines used to treat seizures, such as phenytoin.
• Medicines used to treat endometriosis, such as leuprolide (Lupron Depot) and nafarelin acetate (Synarel).
• Certain cancer treatments, including aromatase inhibitors used to treat breast cancer, such as anastrozole (Arimidex), letrozole (Femara), and exemestane (Aromasin).
• Hormone therapy to treat prostate cancer.
• Some antidepressant medicines called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
• Heparin, a blood thinner, if used for a long time.
• Depo-Provera, a birth control medicine given by injection, if used for a long time.
• Anticonvulsant medicines such as carbamazepine.