MAY is AMERICAN STROKE AWARENESS MONTH
- dedar_dev
- January 14, 2016
- Blog
- No responses
Osteoporosis related bone breaks cost patients, their families and the healthcare system $19 billion annually. By 2025, experts predict that osteoporosis will be responsible for three million fractures resulting in $25.3 billion in costs. Osteoporosis is preventable. About 85 – 90 percent of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and 20 in boys Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence can help prevent osteoporosis later in life.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends five steps to improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis:
1. Get the calcium and vitamin D you need every day.
2. Do regular weight – bearing and muscle – strengthening exercises.
3. Don’t smoke and don’t drink too much alcohol.
4. Talk to your healthcare provider about your chance of getting osteoporosis and ask when you should have a bone density test.
5. Take an osteoporosis medication when it’s right for you.
Osteoporosis is manageable.
Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, there are steps you can take to prevent, slow or stop its progress. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help slow or stop the loss of bone mass and help prevent fractures.
About half of osteoporosis – related repeat fractures can be prevented with appropriate treatment.
• A bone density test is the best way to diagnose osteoporosis and determine a treatment plan. If your T- score is – 2.5 or lower, indicating that you have osteoporosis, or if you have other significant risk factors for breaking a bone, talk to your healthcare provider about starting an osteoporosis treatment plan that includes taking an osteoporosis medicine.
• In choosing an osteoporosis medication, be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of all treatment options with your healthcare provider to determine which treatment plan is best for you.
• In order for your medicine to work, it’s important to exercise regularly and make sure you get the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D every day from food and supplements.
• Once you start taking an osteoporosis medicine, your bone density test by central DXA should be repeated at least every two years to monitor its effects. After starting a new osteoporosis medicine, many healthcare providers will repeat a bone density test afterwards.
Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation – 2015