When medication is prescribed by your physician for other diseases or conditions, these additional factors can contribute to bone loss. For instance:
• Certain drugs, such as cortisone for rheumatoid arthritis and
asthma; heparin (an anticoagulant) for heart disease and high blood pressure; diuretics for oedema; some antacids for acute indigestion; anticonvulsants for epileptic seizures.
Disorders such as hyperthyroidism and kidney disease.
Destruction of bone cells by radiation treatment or chemo-
therapy.
• Inability to absorb calcium from the intestine (severe ulcers
or through the removal of part of your stomach).
• Excessive excretion of calcium in the urine (idiopathic
hypercalciuria).
• Scoliosis (spinal curvature).
Discuss drugs with your doctor to see if dosage could be reduced, or if alternative medicine is available that would be less conducive to bone loss. For instance, if you take heparin, ask your doctor if you could change to a warfarin-type anticoagulant. If you take steroids for arthritis, would one of the new nonsteroid drugs be as effective for you? At the same time, ask your physician about calcium supplementation or other bone-promoting therapy that would be appropriate for your condition.
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