San Diego, California Talk Radio Station - 760 KFMB AM - 760kfmbBone up on osteoporosis

By Louis Neipris, M.D., Staff Writer, myOptumHealth

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Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become thin and weak and more prone to breaking. Often a silent disease, bones become weaker and weaker as the years go by. The first sign of severe osteoporosis is often a fracture of the hip, spine or wrist.

The risk of osteoporosis goes up with age, most notably in women who have gone through menopause. The hormone estrogen helps protect bones. Falling estrogen levels after menopause can lead to serious bone thinning.

Women get osteoporosis more often than men. About eight in 10 people with osteoporosis are women. But it can afflict people at any age, and men can get it too.

What is the impact of osteoporosis?

In an older person, a hip fracture can be devastating, and can lead to the loss of independence. A spinal fracture may lead to the loss of height and the formation of a permanent curvature of the spine, known as a "dowager's hump." This limits movements, throws the body out of alignment and can cause chronic pain.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

A simple, painless test is used to diagnose osteoporosis. It's commonly called a bone mineral density test, but its true name is dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA scan. The procedure is similar to having an x-ray, but it uses much less radiation. Results of this test are reported as a "T-score." This represents a comparison of your bone mineral density to a young healthy individual. You are considered to have osteoporosis if your T-score is -2.5 or lower. That low score means you are at an increased risk for a fracture.

A T-score between -1 to -2.5 indicates osteopenia. This means your bone density is lower than normal. Your bones are becoming thinner. It also means that you are at greater risk of breaking bones and for developing osteoporosis.

How is it treated?

Osteoporosis is treated with calcium and vitamin D supplements. There are also several medications that help slow down bone loss and cut the risk of fractures.

How can osteoporosis be prevented?

The best ways to avoid the consequences of osteoporosis is to prevent bone loss before it becomes advanced. You can prevent osteoporosis with proper diet and exercise. Here are some preventive measures:

• Get enough calcium in your diet. The amount you need depends on your age and usually ranges from 1,000 to 1,200 mg/day.
• Get enough vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption. You need between 400 and 800 IU/day. Your doctor may prescribe higher doses if your vitamin D blood levels are low.
• If you are a smoker, stop smoking.
• Do weight-bearing aerobic exercise, like low-impact aerobics or walking. Check with your doctor before you increase your activity level.

View the original Bone up on osteoporosis article on myOptumHealth.com 

SOURCES:

• American College of Rheumatology. Patient education. Osteoporosis. Accessed: 12/14/2009

• National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary supplement fact sheet: calcium. Accessed: 05/04/2010

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. What is osteoporosis? Accessed: 12/14/2009

• Clarke BL, Khosla S. Osteoporosis. In: Rakel RE, Bope ET, eds. Rakel: Conn's Current Therapy 2009, 1st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders-Elsevier; 2009.

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Handout on health: osteoporosis. Accessed: 12/14/2009