There are several factors that increase your chances
of developing osteoporosis, including a thin, small-boned frame; previous
fracture or family history of osteoporotic fracture; estrogen deficiency
resulting from early menopause (before age 45), either naturally or
from
surgical removal of the ovaries or as a result of prolonged amenorrhea
(abnormal absence of menstruation) in younger women; advanced age;
a diet
low in calcium; Caucasian and Asian ancestry (African American and
Hispanic women are at lower but significant risk); cigarette smoking;
use
of alcohol; and prolonged use of certainmedications.
Building strong bones, especially before the age
of 35, can be the best
defense against developing osteoporosis, and a HEALTHY lifestyle can
be
critically important for keeping bones strong. To help prevent
osteoporosis: Eat a balanced diet rich in calcium. Exercise regularly,
especially weight-bearing activities. Don't smoke. Don't drink alcohol
Talk to your doctor if you have a family history of osteoporosis or
no longer have the protective benefit of estrogen due to natural or
surgically induced menopause. Your doctor may suggest that you have
your
bone density measured at menopause through a safe and painless test
that
can help predict your chance of fracturing in the future.
Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, there
are treatments available
to help stop further bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures:
Estrogen,Alendronate, Calcitonin etc., are approved drugs. Raloxifene
(brand nameEvista) is a drug that was recently approved for the prevention
of
osteoporosis. It is from a new class of drugs called Selective Estrogen
Receptor modulators (SERMs) that appear to prevent bone loss at the
spine,
hip, and total body. Raloxifenes effect on the spine does not appear
to be
as powerful as either estrogen replacement therapy or alendronate,
but its
effect on the hip and total body are more comparable. While side-effects
are not common with raloxifene, those reported include hot flashes
and
deep vein thrombosis, the latter of which is also associated with estrogen
therapy. Additional research studies on raloxifene will be ongoing
for
several more years.Source: NIH
Sreenivasarao Vepachedu, 04/26/98
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