Osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis is a disorder of the skeleton resulting in compromise of bone strength, predisposing to increased risk of fracture.
• A reduction in bone mass and strength make bones fragile, thereby fracturing easily.
• Fractures usually involve the hip, spine and wrist, and are a major cause of suffering, disability and death in the elderly population.

Worldwide osteoporosis affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 years. Some people who have risk factors are more likely to develop osteoporosis.

Some of the risk factors include:

• Early menopause ( before the age of 45 or hysterectomy)
• Family history of osteoporosis
• History of previous fractures of the hip, spine and wrist especially after minor injury
• Long term use of corticosteroid medication
• Primary or secondary hypogonadism in men and women
• Chronic diseases such as
  • Intestinal Disorders: inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver disease, Malabsorption syndrome.
  • Hormonal Disorders: primary hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome.
  • Malignant diseases
    

Risk factors that cannot be altered include:

• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Family History
  

Modifiable risk factors that can be altered by lifestyle changes are:

• Smoking and alcohol intake
• Low body mass index
• Poor nutrition and eating disorders.
• Insufficient exercise
• Low dietary calcium intake.

People with risk factors should discuss with their doctors to obtain a DEXA bone mineral density scan.

Bone densitometry, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) uses low dose xrays to produce images of the bones. It is most commonly performed on the lumbar spine and hips but sometimes also the distal forearm. There is good correlation between the amount of bone measured, and bone strength. DEXA is an established standard for measuring bone mineral density. By measuring BMD, it is possible to predict fracture risk in the same manner that measuring blood pressure can help predict the risk of stroke.

NB: Patients Must Bring Old X-Rays and scans for all procedures!