Osteoporosis - What is it and are You at Risk?
"The Silent Epidemic"
Osteoporosis - a potentially crippling disease characterized by the loss of bone tissue and a susceptibility to fracture - afflicts an estimated 25 million Americans, 80% of who are women. Annually, this disease accounts for 1.3 million debilitating fractures, mostly of the weight-bearing hip and spine.
Osteoporosis has often been called the "silent disease," because it doesn't produce symptoms until a fracture occurs. Approximately 50% of women over age 50 are at risk of sustaining an osteoporotic fracture. In fact, a woman's risk of hip fracture alone equals her combined risk of developing breast, uterine or ovarian cancer. In short, the prevalence of osteoporosis has reached epidemic proportions.
Are You at Risk?
Your chances of developing osteoporosis are greater if you are female and answer "yes" to any of the following questions:
Are you . . .?
- Light skinned
- Thin or small framed
- Approaching or past menopause
- Milk intolerant or have a low calcium intake
- A cigarette smoker or drink alcohol in excess
- Taking thyroid medication or steroid-based drugs for asthma, arthritis or cancer
Do you have . . .?
- A family history of osteoporosis
- Chronic intestinal disorders
- A sedentary lifestyle
The Good News
Today, doctors are better equipped to detect and treat bone loss in its earliest stages in order to prevent the disease or lessen its impact. Also, several drug therapies, now on the market, have been shown to be clinically effective in slowing down or reversing the bone-loss process.
Just as no physician would prescribe a medication for hypertension without first taking the patient's blood pressure, the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis should begin with an objective, quantifiable measurement of the patient's bone mass or bone density.
Click here to learn how First State Orthopaedics is helping patients at risk for osteoporosis.