Medications for Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. steoporosis is a disease where the strength of bones is less than normal, making them more susceptible to fracture, or breaking, than normal bones. Any bone will break if subjected to enough force, but a bone with osteoporosis may break with very little trauma, or sometimes with no trauma at all. Fractures can cause pain, loss of independence, and shorten your life. The best time to detect osteoporosis is before a fracture happens, and the best way to do that is with a bone density test. The “gold-standard” method of measuring bone density is by DXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) of the spine and hip. If the “T-score” on the DXA test is less than or equal to –2.5, then a diagnosis of osteoporosis may be made. If you have osteoporosis, or low bone density, there are medications that can strengthen your bones and reduce the future risk of fractures. Medications can help whether or not you have already had a fracture, whether you are male or female, and even if you are very old. Since there are many medications for osteoporosis, it is important that you have a good understanding of the risks and benefits with each of them. The more you know, the better you are able to select the one that is best for you.