M.D. Many seniors with asthma require regular medications to breathe comfortably through the day. An important part of current asthma treatment is corticosteroids, usually in the inhaled form. The effective dose for oral corticosteroids is higher for people over age 40. However, this necessary medication, given orally and also in high doses of the inhaled form, can increase a person s risk of developing a bone condition called osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is when a person s bones have lost density and as a result are prone to fractures.
Both men and women are at risk for developing osteoporosis, especially as they age. Several factors can increase the likelihood that a person will develop osteoporosis, including family history, race, inadequate calcium and vitamin D intake, lack of physical activity, cigarette smoking, excessive drinking of alcohol, low body weight, and some medications, including corticosteroids. The suggested calcium intake for adults at risk for osteoporosis is 1,500 mg per day. Up to 2,500 mg of calcium per day is safe except for people with a few uncommon conditions. On an average day, men and women in the U.S. over 65 years of age ingest an average of 600 and 480 mg, respectively.