HOPE CHESTS - Past Meetings
June 6, 2000 - Osteoporosis
Speaker: Sharon Holder, Nurse Practitioner
Osteoporosis: Is a disease that gradually weakens bones, making them more
likely to break
It affects 25 million Americans
4 out of 5 are women but men are affected also
More than 1 ½ million osteoporosis-related fractures occur each year in men
and women
More than 700,000 spinal fractures
More than 250,000 wrist fractures
More than 250,000 hip fractures
Osteoporosis fractures are considered such if they occur non-traumatically.
Of the 250,000 individuals per year who break a hip, 50% are permanently
incapacitated, up to 24% experience mortality within 1 year of fracture. Nearly
65,000 American women die from complications of hip fracture annually, from such
causes as pneumonia, blood clots and other complications related to inactivity.
This is about the same number of women who die from breast cancer yearly.
Unfortunately, people are not as concerned about developing osteoporosis as
they are about developing cancer; this is due to a lack of information and
adequate education.
Osteoporosis may result in loss of independence and loss of self-esteem
What is your risk? Women past menopause are at increased risk for
osteoporosis due to estrogen loss and men due to falling testosterone levels
A woman has a nearly 40% lifetime fracture risk at age 50
Other risk factors:
Family History
Early menopause (before 45)
Caucasian race or Asian ethnicity
Thin or small build
Lifestyle factors: smoking, excessive alcohol use, lack of exercise
Our nutritional status has a lot to do with developing osteoporosis. If an
individual grows up anorexic, bulemic or without proper nutrition due to poverty
they will likely develop osteoporosis at an early age.
If intervention is necessary, then eventually if the bone density holds
without further deterioration, an individual’s bone density will actually
normalize over time
Bone density testing accurately measures a person’s bone density and helps
doctors diagnose osteoporosis and predict fracture risk.
3 possible results of Bone Density Testing: normal, just below normal, far
below normal
Normal bone requires no treatment. Bone density just below normal indicates
osteopenia or thin bones. Far below normal results reveal osteoporosis and
suggest treatment consisting of calcium, good nutrition and regular exercise.
A multivitamin is recommended daily as well as between 1000 and 1500 mgs.
daily of calcium specifically with a minimum of 1500 mgs daily after menopause.
With osteopenia treatment may be considered but results far below normal
indicate treatment to be generally recommended.
Treatment begins initially with calcium, weight-bearing exercise and
hormones, for those not having experienced breast cancer. Calcium works in
conjunction with Vitamin D, which most women produce in adequate amounts as they
are exposed to sunlight. However, 600 to 800 international units of Vitamin D
can be consumed with the calcium to ensure that the calcium works properly.
Also, currently other drugs are being used to help build/restore bone
density; these are Fosamax and Myacalcin, which is a nasal spray used in
alternate nostrils This particular drug is more helpful for spinal problems than
for hip problems, whereas Fosamax is helpful for both. Another drug being
studied is Actinel. There is also an IV medication that can be used but is only
used when there is difficulty swallowing a pill and is not used commonly.
Evista is a synthetic hormone that takes the place of estrogen and can be
taken if you have had breast cancer but cannot be taken in conjunction with
Tamoxifen. It may or may not be helpful in redeveloping bone in breast cancer
survivors.
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