Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist, although any bone can be affected. Each year, more than 1.5 million people in the United States experience a fracture related to "weakened", otherwise known as "osteoporotic" bones. This leads to increased pain and disability, often admission to the hospital and reduced independence. Studies have shown that there is an 18% reduction in survival after a hip fracture.
Fracture prevention is the main goal. Fracture predictions can be made on the basis of bone density testing, the lower the person's bone density the higher the risk of fracture in the future. The most studied and widely accepted measurement method is Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), which measures the density of bone at the hip and spine. It takes about 15 minutes to complete the test.
are a post-menopausal woman and not taking estrogen
have a personal or maternal history of hip fracture or smoking
are a post-menopausal woman who is tall (over 5 feet 7 inches) or thin (less than 125 pounds)
are a man with clinical conditions associated with bone loss
use medications that are known to cause bone loss, including corticosteroids such as Prednisone, various anti-seizure medications such as Dilantin and certain barbiturates, or high-dose thyroid replacement drugs
have type 1 (formerly called juvenile or insulin-dependent) diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease or a family history of osteoporosis
have high bone turnover, which shows up in the form of excessive collagen in urine samples
have a thyroid condition, such as hyperthyroidism
have experienced a fracture after only mild trauma
have X-ray evidence of vertebral fracture or other signs of osteoporosis
Click here for additional osteoporosis information. To calculate your risk of having a fracture, click here!
Click on the link below to print Dr. Marc DeHart's Osteoporosis article.
