Diuretics Osteoporosis Osteopenia

Diuretics Osteoporosis Osteopenia.  Diuretiscs are prescribed for congestive heart failure and/or for high blood pressure. Some have been found to increase bone density while others will decrease your bone density.

You want to know which is which. Your health care provider may be able to ensure you take the one that will improve your bone density. DO ASK about this.  Your bones are important.

Those that increase bone density are called Thiazide diuretics

• The New England Journal of Medicine published an article, "Thiazide effect on the mineral content of bone". by RD Wasnich, RJ Benfante, K Yano, L Heilbrun and JM Vogel way back in  1983.                                                                                                                                                     This study included 1368 men with a mean age of 68 years. Of these 323 were taking thiazides for hypertension. Thiazide users had significantly more bone mineral content at all sites tested than did non-users.The authors concluded: "These findings suggest the possibility of a preventive or therapeutic role for thiazides in osteoporosis".
• Another study was published in Lancet in 1989. This one was done by the Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in  Nashville, Tennessee. It also concluded that thiazides protect against Osteoporosis in older persons.  So thiazidess are good Diuretics Osteoporosis , Osteopenia.
  

‘Loop Diuretics"  are a different matter.

The drugs categorized as ‘Loop Diuretics” are the medications that cause your kidney’s to excrete calcium. In fact, these drugs can remove so much calcium that you can experience significant bone loss in your body.So these are NOT GOOD diuretics Osteoporosis, Osteopenia.

Among the Loop Diuretics are: Lasic, Aldacatone, Dyazide, Bumes, Diamox or Edercin do talk with your health care provider to find out what you can do to protect your bones.

(NOTE: There these drugs may be sold under different names in different countries. So if you are taking a 'water pill' and you do not see its name in the list above, do ask your health care provider if it belongs to the 'loop diuretics' class. )

Some people drink extra water, others add extra calcium to their diet and/or participate in a formal bone healthy exercise program to prevent excess bone loss.

See: Diuretics Osteoporosis, Osteopenia

Caution

Your blood pressure medications are very important. If you are taking one of the 'loop diuretics' or a 'water pill' DO NOT stop taking it on your own.  Talk with your health care provider. Explain your concern about bone loss.

It might be that a Thiazide diuretic, which seems to increase bone density, could be effective for you. If this is not possible, your physician should  be able to recommend things you can do to reduce your risk of bone loss.

Please talk with your physician if you are taking one of these medication

You may also want to read the pages about:

Natural treatments that will increase bone density.