Steroid Induced Osteoporosis

Overview

Steroid-induced osteoporosis refers to osteoporosis caused by taking steroid medications for a long time. Osteoporosis refers to the porous bone where the density of the bone is low. This results in brittle and fragile bones. Steroid medications are also known as corticosteroids which can be taken through inhalers, oral, intravenous or topical. They are use to treat various diseases such as asthma, nephrotic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and many more. Steroid leads to osteoporosis by inhibiting the osteoblast function, increasing bone resorption, inhibiting intestinal calcium absorption, promoting excretion of calcium through urine and affecting the sex hormone levels in the body. This condition can be diagnosed by proper history taking, physical examination, bone mineral density (BMD) test and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). It can be prevented by gradually tapering the dose of the steroids, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements, exercising and quit smoking.