Osteoporosis
What is Osteoporosis?
- Osteoporosis is an age-related, debilitating disorder characterized by a general decrease in bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue.
- Bone is living, growing tissue that changes throughout life.
- Bone Remodeling
- Resorption – removes older bone
- Formation – replaces with new bone
Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis develops when bone resorption occurs to quickly or bone replacement occurs too slowly.
Risk Factors
- Age
- Postmenopausal
- Being female
- White/Asian
- Small frame
- Thin-boned
- Family history
- Diet low in calcium and vitamin D
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Cigarette smoking
- Excessive alcohol or caffeine
- Anorexia nervosa or bulimia
Who Osteoporosis Effects?
- 8 million women
- 1 in 2 women older than age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime.
- Osteoporosis is responsible for 1.5 million factures per year.
Signs and Symptoms
- Osteoporosis – “silent disease”
- Often time women do not realize they have osteoporosis until they fracture a bone.
- There is no pain or specific symptoms with this condition.
- Some women notice a loss of height as the vertebrae weaken, collapse, and fracture.
Screening and Diagnosis
- Bone Mineral Density Test
- Painless, noninvasive, and safe
- Test
- Spine, hip, wrist, finger, kneecap, shin bone, or heel
- (depends on the machine used)
Women who should be tested:
- All postmenopausal women younger than 65 who have more than one risk factor.
- All women over 65
- Postmenopausal women with fractures
Prevention and Treatment
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises
- Estrogen replacement therapy and other prescription drugs
