What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become thin, brittle and weak. These changes can increase the risk of fractures lead to disability and an increased risk of death.
Is osteoporosis more common in women or in men?
Osteoporosis occurs five times more often in women than in men.
Is everybody affected?
Ageing reduces the bone strength, but risk factors worsen the condition. One can take control over the modifying factors.
Modifiable Factors — Low BMI,Smoking and,More than 3 drinks of alcohol per day , Environmental Factors like Nutrition (calcium intake, protein) Sunlight exposure Physical activity, Excercise, Relevance of risk of falling increases with ageing.
Non-modifiable Factors – Female Gender, Advancing age, Prior fragility fracture or Family history of fracture, certain medications and medical disorders.
What are the symptoms?
Generally none till fracture occurs, aches and pains, backache. Loss of height, stooping.
How to diagnose?
The gold standard is by DXA MACHINE.
Risk assessment is done based on the risk factors for osteoporosis by tools like the FRAX followed by DXA.
Who should get the DXA done?
- All women 5 years beyond the age of natural menopause.
- Women less than 5 years since Menopause with a particular risk factor.
- Women with fragility fractures.
- Women in Menopause transition with secondary causes