Download Osteoporosis thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone

Osteoporosis thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time.
Causes: Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease. Researchers estimate that about 1 out of 5 American
women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. About half of all women over the age of 50 will have a fracture of the hip,
wrist, or vertebra (bones of the spine). Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to form enough new bone, when too
much old bone is reabsorbed by the body, or both.
Calcium and phosphate are essential for normal bone formation. Throughout youth, the body uses these minerals to
produce bones. If you do not get enough calcium, or if your body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, bone
production and bone tissues may suffer.
As you age, calcium and phosphate may be reabsorbed back into the body from the bones, which makes the bone tissue
weaker. This can result in brittle, fragile bones that are more prone to fractures, even without injury.
Usually, the loss occurs gradually over years. Many times, a person will have a fracture before becoming aware that the
disease is present. By the time a fracture occurs, the disease is in its advanced stages and damage is severe.
The leading causes of osteoporosis are: a drop in estrogen in women at the time of menopause and a drop in
testosterone in men. Women over age 50 and men over age 70 have a higher risk for osteoporosis.
Other causes include:
 Being confined to a bed
 Chronic rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia)
 corticosteroid medications (prednisone,) every day for > 3 months, or taking some anti-seizure drugs
 Hyperparathyroidism
Risk factors: White women, especially those with a family history of osteoporosis, have a greater-than-average risk of
developing osteoporosis.
 Absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhea) for long periods of time
 Drinking a large amount of alcohol
 Family history of osteoporosis
 History of hormone treatment for prostate cancer or breast cancer
 Low body weight
 Smoking
 Too little calcium in the diet
Symptoms: no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.
Symptoms occurring late in the disease include:
 Bone pain or tenderness
 Fractures with little or no trauma
 Loss of height (as much as 6 inches) over time
 Low back pain or neck pain due to fractures of the spinal bones
 Stooped posture or kyphosis, also called a "dowager's hump"
Tests & diagnosis Bone mineral density testing (densitometry or DEXA scan) measures how much bone you have.
The results of your test are usually reported as a "T score" and "Z score."
 The T score compares your bone density with that of healthy young women.
 The Z score compares your bone density with that of other people of your age, gender, and race.
In either score, a negative number means you have thinner bones than the standard; more negative the number, the
thinner the bones. A T score is within the normal range if it is -1.0 or above.
 A T score from -1 to -2.5 indicates the beginning of bone loss (osteopenia).
 A T score below -2.5 indicates osteoporosis.
Treatment: The goals of osteoporosis treatment are to: Control pain, Slow down bone loss, Prevent fractures
Several different treatments for osteoporosis: lifestyle changes and a variety of medications.
Medications are used to strengthen bones when:
 Osteoporosis has been diagnosed by a bone density study.
 Osteopenia (thin bones, but not osteoporosis) has been diagnosed ;if a bone fracture has occurred.
BISPHOSPHONATES: primary drugs used to both prevent and treat osteoporosis

Bisphosphonates taken by mouth include alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), and
risedronate (Actonel). Most are taken by mouth, usually once a week or once a month.
CALCITONIN: medicine, nasal spray or injection, that slows the rate of bone loss and relieves bone pain
HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY: Estrogens or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is rarely used anymore
PARATHYROID HORMONE Teriparatide (Forteo) is for treatment of women who have severe osteoporosis
Lifestyle Treatments
EXERCISE
Regular exercise can reduce the likelihood of bone fractures in people with osteoporosis.

Weight-bearing exercises -- walking, jogging, playing tennis, dancing

Resistance exercises -- free weights, weight machines, stretch bands

Balance exercises -- tai chi, yoga

Riding a stationary bicycle

Using rowing machines
DIET
at least 1,200 milligrams per day of calcium; 800 - 1,000 international units of vitamin D3. necessary to absorb calcium.
High-calcium foods include:
 Cheese, Ice cream, Yogurt, Low-fat milk
 Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and collard greens
 Salmon, Sardines (with the bones)
 Tofu
STOP UNHEALTHY HABITS

Quit smoking

limit alcohol intake. can damage your bones, as well as put you at risk for falling

limit caffeine and soda
PREVENT FALLS
Prognosis
Medications to treat osteoporosis can help prevent fractures, but vertebrae that have already collapsed cannot be
reversed.
Some persons with osteoporosis become severely disabled as a result of weakened bones. Hip fractures leave about half
of patients unable to walk independently. This is one of the major reasons people are admitted to nursing homes.
Complications
 Compression fractures of the spine
 Disability caused by severely weakened bones
 Hip and wrist fractures
 Loss of ability to walk due to hip fractures