OSTEOPOROSIS

Who Gets Osteoporosis? Often called the "silent disease" more than 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Eighteen million more have lost enough bone to make them more likely to develop this disease. More than 80% of these 28 million are women. One out of two women and one in eight men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lives. White and Asian women are most likely to get osteoporosis. Women who have a family history of the disease, an early menopause, or small body frames are at greatest risk.

How Do I Know If I Am Losing Bone?

Losing height or having a bone break easily is often the first sign of osteoporosis. Bone density is a term that describes how solid your bones are. Ordinary x-rays do not show bone loss until a large amount of bone density is gone. The most exact way to measure bone density is by a DEXA-scan (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry). This is done on the whole body. Ask your doctor about this test if you think you are at risk for osteoporosis or if you are a woman around the age of menopause or older.

Can I Prevent Bone Loss?

Osteoporosis is preventable. A diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D and a lifestyle that includes regular weight-bearing exercise are the best ways to prevent weakened bones in later life.

Some medicines can cause loss of bone mass. These include glucocorticoids which are used to control diseases such as arthritis and asthma, some antiseizure drugs, certain sleeping pills, some hormones used to treat endometriosis, and some cancer drugs. An overactive thyroid gland can also be a problem. If you are taking these medicines, talk to your doctor about what can be done to protect your bones.

Avoid smoking. Smoking causes your body to make less estrogen which protects the bones. Also limit how much alcohol you drink. Too much alcohol can damage your bones, as well as put you at risk for falling and breaking a bone.

How Is Osteoporosis Treated?

Treatment of osteoporosis aims to stop bone loss and rebuild bone. Along with making lifestyle changes, there are several medication choices. Some will slow your rate of bone loss, and others will actually rebuild bone. These include estrogen, raloxifene, alendronate, risedronate, and calcitonin.

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