intravenously over no less than 15 minutes accordingly the frequency of dosing can be once every two years for post menopausal women patients must be adequately supplemented with calcium and vitamin d if dietary intake is not sufficient postmenopausal women require an average of 1200 mg calcium and 800 to 1000 international units of vitamin d daily however in other embodiments the zoledronic acid is administered by injection zoledronic acid has a half life t1 2 alpha of about 0 24 hours and its administration is known to be associated with certain side effects in a large subpopulation of patients the co administration of steroids helps to minimize or eliminate these side effects by u201c co administration u201d it is meant that the steroids can be administered within two hours before or after the zoledronic acid typically within one hour before or after the zoledronic acid and more typically at the same time or within a half an hour before or after the zoledronic acid suitable steroids include for example hydrocortisone hydrocortisone acetate cortisone acetate tixocortol pivalate prednisolone methylprednisolone prednisone triamcinolone acetonide triamcinolone alcohol mometasone amcinonide budesonide desonide fluocinonide fluocinolone acetonide halcinonide betamethasone betamethasone sodium phosphate dexamethasone dexamethasone sodium phosphate fluocortolone hydrocortisone 17 valerate acleometasone dipropionate betamethasone valerate betamethasone dippropionate prednicarbate clobetasone 17 butyrate clobetasol 17 propionate fluocortilone caproate fluocortolone pivalate and fluprednidene acetate hydrocortisone 17 butyrate 17 aceponate 17 buteprate and prednicarbate the appropriate dose of steroid that is administered can be readily determined by one of skill in the art for example a treating physician however in one embodiment the dose of steroids does not exceed the equivalent of 50 mg of prednisolone and is not less than the equivalent of.