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This information was reviewed and approved by Mehrnaz Maleki Fischbach, MD (7/1/2019).

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, your health care provider may recommend you take calcium and vitamin D supplements and/or appropriate medications in addition to several lifestyle changes.

If the osteoporosis is too severe to rely only on calcium supplements and/or diet changes, your doctor may prescribe one of the following medications:

  • Bisphosphonates

    • Fosamax® (alendronate)

    • Actonel® (risedronate)

    • Didronel® (etidronate)

    • Aredia® (pamidronate)

    • Boniva® (ibandronate)

    • Reclast® (zoledronic acid)

  • Forteo® (teripartatide)

  • Prolia® (denosumab)

New medicines are continually being developed to treat osteoporosis.


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