BE WELL

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS

WRITTEN BY JACKIE WOODS / PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

When it comes to our health, we often hear about illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, but not much about osteoporosis. But osteoporosis is prevalent in America with 10 million people living with the disease, and 80 percent of them are women (according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation).

So who is most at risk for developing osteoporosis? Anyone can develop the disease, but females, older adults, people of white or Asian descent, and those with a small stature are at increased risk. Some medical conditions such as celiac disease, IBD, kidney disease, Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can also increase your risk. “It is estimated that one in two women and one in four men older than 50 years of age will someday sustain a fracture due to osteoporosis,” says Paul Cowan, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who treats patients at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. “The disease is also hereditary, so a family history of osteoporosis or fragility fractures increases a person’s risk for becoming osteoporotic.”

We don’t usually think of osteoporosis as life-threatening like cancer, but those who suffer complications like hip fractures from the disease are sometimes not able to recover. According to Dr. Cowan, studies have

shown that patients with osteoporosis who experience hip fractures have a 20 percent increased risk of mortality. Only about 30 percent of people in this situation return to their previous level of function following the injury. Simply put, an osteoporosis diagnosis means you are more prone to broken bones, which can lead to other issues.

“If healthy bone resembles a solid piece of hardwood, an osteoporotic bone resembles an eggshell,” explains Dr. Cowan. “Osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures can lead to chronic back pain, loss of height, and stooped posture. They can also cause patients to experience stress and anxiety about future fractures and possible loss of independence.”

When osteoporosis is suspected, a physician will likely get a solid medical history, lab results, and a bone densitometry with DEXA scan to make a diagnosis. All women 65 or older need to have a bone density scan every two years, and men and women with risk factors for the disease such as long-term steroid use, cigarette smoking, and low body weight should speak with their physician about early testing.

For those diagnosed with osteoporosis, Dr. Cowan suggests monitoring your bone health by regularly following up with your physician and repeating bone density scans. Effective treatments are available, including estrogen replacement therapy, calcitonin, bisphosphonates, and drugs that can boost bone density.

“The best way to manage osteoporosis is to avoid it in the first place,” says Dr. Cowan. “Unfortunately, our bone density peaks in our 20s and 30s, so for many of us it is too late to build more bone.”

For prevention, it is important to maintain a healthy weight, eat nutritious foods, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and get a physical every year. Dr. Cowan also suggests being proactive and discussing osteoporosis with your physician early instead of waiting until you have suffered a fragility fracture. Non-medication treatments like calcium and vitamin D supplementation, protein supplementation, and weight-bearing exercises can be helpful with prevention as well as for those already diagnosed.

“The body has a natural response to put stress on bones, and weight-bearing exercises help us avoid osteoporosis by making bones more dense and less likely to fracture,” explains Dr. Cowan. “The bottom line is that prevention is key to avoiding fractures due to osteoporosis, and it is a topic that should be discussed with all patients as they age.”

AdventHealth offers bone densitometry scans, which are simple, non-invasive procedures that detect bone thinning and mineral loss to diagnose osteoporosis or calculate your risk of developing bone fractures. Learn more at AdventHealthKC.com.