Topic Overview

Many people take oral or inhaled steroids, which include prednisone, betamethasone, and fluocinolide, for conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Oral steroids and high-dose inhaled steroids can cause bone loss over time. If you are on these types of medicines for 6 months or longer, you are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis, which puts you at high risk for broken bones. Once broken bones occur, healing can take a long time because of the decreased ability of your bones to rebuild due to osteoporosis.

If you are on long-term use of steroids, you should be monitored for bone loss.