Secondary Osteoporosis - What Causes Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Secondary osteoporosis
The term secondary osteoporosis is used to describe osteoporosis resulting from a medical condition or the use of certain medications. (For a list of disorders and drugs that lead to secondary osteoporosis, see "Possible causes of secondary osteoporosis.") If you have one of these conditions or if you're taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor about what you can do to keep your bones healthy.
Possible causes of secondary osteoporosis |
| Underlying conditions |
| Acromegaly Alcoholism Anorexia Athletic amenorrhea Calcium deficiency Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Glycogen storage diseases Hemochromatosis Homocystinuria Hyperadrenocorticalism Hypercalciuria Hyperparathyroidism Hyperprolactinemia Hyperthyroidism Hypogonadism Hypophosphatasia Liver disease Malabsorptive disorders Marfan's syndrome Multiple myeloma Osteogenesis imperfecta Porphyria Renal tubular acidosis Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic mastocytosis Thalassemia Thyrotoxicosis Type 1 diabetes |
| Drugs |
| Cyclosporine Glucocorticoids Heparin therapy (long-term) Methotrexate Phenobarbital Phenytoin Thyroid hormone (in excessive doses) |
The most common cause of drug-related secondary osteoporosis is the use of glucocorticoids (also known as corticosteroids) like prednisone, which are often prescribed to treat conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some medications that are commonly used after organ transplants can also further bone loss. People using any of these medications should be even more vigilant about protecting their bones.
| Six ways glucocorticoids hinder bone formation These medications, which include prednisone and similar agents, do the following:
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| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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