9-26-06

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a crippling bone disease that affects 10 million Americans age 50 years and over. And it’s believed that many more people may have it and do not know it.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by loss of bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue. It can lead to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures. Dr. Casey Younkin, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says most people have no symptoms until they develop a fracture.

SOUND BITE: "Symptoms could include height loss which some women notice after menopause because their clothes don’t fit and they notice their shoulders are more stooped. They may notice increased curvature in their back and back pain is quite frequent. So in the post- menopause, you shouldn’t just attribute back pain to muscular conditions, you might also consider the possibility this could be actually a fracture . . ."

The people at highest risk for the disease are white, thin women age 50 or over, but men also can have osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can be detected by a bone density scan, an out-patient test, which is usually covered by insurance companies and Medicare. Although there is no cure for the disease, medications are available to treat osteoporosis by increasing bone mass.

SOUND BITE: "The most common medical treatments of osteoporosis would be the bisphosponate drugs. That would include Actonel and Fosamax and a newer drug, Boniva. Those three are all given at intervals. They have to be taken on an empty stomach. And that makes it difficult for some patients to tolerate these medications very well. Another choice is Evista."

Dr. Younkin says all women over the age of 50 and men who are at risk should take 1,000 milligrams of calcium as well as Vitamin D each day. If you or another adult in your family is losing height, it might be a sign of osteoporosis. Contact a primary care physician for evaluation and possible treatment.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.