Osteoporosis
Question: I'm a middle-aged woman, and I know I
should worry about osteoporosis. What should I know about osteoporosis?
Answer: Osteoporosis is a very common condition
affecting millions of women and men in the United States. It is a severe thinning
of the bones that can lead to bone fractures and decreased height. Preventing
and treating osteoporosis are important because hip fractures, which are very
common, can lead to chronic pain, disability, and even death.
Risk factors for osteoporosis
include female gender, increased age, thin body, Caucasian race, smoking,
family history of osteoporosis, lack of exercise, and estrogen deficiency. Also
some medical conditions and medications (for example, steroids) can put you at
risk for osteoporosis. Because of estrogen deficiency, all women who go through
menopause are at risk for developing osteoporosis. Therefore, unless there is a
good reason to avoid hormone replacement therapy (for example, a strong
personal or family history of breast cancer), you should consider it at the
time of menopause.
You should try to get enough
calcium and vitamin D in your diet. All women should try to get in around 1,200
mg of calcium a day. It is sometimes difficult to get this amount in with diet
alone, so inexpensive supplements of elemental calcium can be taken. In
addition to calcium, you should try to take in between 400 and 800 units of
vitamin D daily. Often supplements containing both are available (for example,
Os-cal D).
You should try to perform
weight-bearing exercises (for example, walking) regularly to keep your bones
strong. You should also try to avoid prolonged bed rest and quit smoking if you
are a smoker.
Women who are
not able to take hormone replacement therapy or who are at high risk for osteoporosis
may be screened for osteoporosis with bone mineral density testing, which is a
simple X-ray technique. If you are found to have osteoporosis or osteopenia
(milder thinning of bones), other medications are available. You should talk to
your doctor to find out if you are at risk for osteoporosis and what testing or
treatment is right for you.
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