The following is information on Medications for Treating Osteoporosis. If you have osteoporosis, you should work with your health care provider to plan a treatment program that meets your needs. There are a variety of prescription medications available to slow bone loss and help prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis. The following medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for prevention and/or treatment of osteoporosis. The FDA can also provide information on approved medications.

• Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a therapy that uses a combination of estrogen and other hormones to protect women from bone loss. Because this treatment is effective and may also protect women from heart disease, it provides the greatest benefit for the cost. Some studies show that long-term use may increase the risk of breast cancer, but there may be a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
• Fosomax, a bisphosphonate, slows or stops bone loss and reduces fracture risk. It may be a good choice for women who can't, or don't want to, take HRT. To use Fosomax, you must follow strict rules. Some people find this inconvenient or have stomach pain using this medication
  
  
• Actonel is also a bisphosphonate that slows or stops bone loss and reduces fracture risk. Bisphosphonate may be good choices for women who can't, or won't, take HRT. To use Actonel you must follow strict rules. Studies show that Actonel, the most recently approved osteoporosis medication, reduces spinal fractures after just one year of treatment. Actonel is the only approved drug for the prevention of glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis.
  
  
• Calcitonin is a hormone that helps your body use calcium. It also seems to reduce bone loss and prevent spine fractures. It is taken as a nasal spray so it is easy to use. It has virtually no side effects, but is considered less effective than HRT or Fosomax.
  Raloxifene is the most recently approved osteoporosis medication. It has been developed to provide the benefits of estrogens without their drawbacks.
  
  
• Raloxifene prevents bone loss like a low dose of estrogen. It may increase risk of blood clotting and cause hot flashes, but may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Several additional prescription medications are under investigation.
  

If you have osteoporosis, or are at high risk for the disease, your health care provider can help you plan a treatment program. They can help you decide what medications would be the best choices for you, and review the benefits, side effects, and how these medications interact with other medications you are taking for other conditions. In addition to medicine, your treatment plan should include a healthy, calcium-rich diet and regular physical activity that promotes healthy bones. Bone density scans, completed before a treatment program starts, and repeated on a regular basis, can help check whether the treatment program is effective.