Osteoporosis
In the United States alone, 10 million people have osteoporosis, and 18 million more are at risk of developing the disease. Osteoporosis is a medical condition, in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D. Osteoporosis affects men and woman of all races, however there is a higher risk for white and Asian women who are going through menopause. Approximately 9 million Americans currently have Osteoporosis. Roughly 60% of adults aged 50 and older are at risk of breaking bones. It is suggested that 1 in 2 woman and 1 in 4 men aged 50 and older will break bones due to Osteoporosis.
A person is often not aware that he or she has osteoporosis until a fracture occurs. But there are occasionally symptoms of the disorder. They could include a backache, a gradual loss of height and an accompanying stooped posture, or fractures of the spine, wrist, or hip. There is no cure for the condition; however there are treatments and preventive precautions that a person can take. Eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise and not smoking help prevent this disease. To ensure that people are getting enough calcium to build and maintain strong bones, doctors recommend eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, such as nonfat milk, low-fat yogurt, broccoli, cauliflower, salmon, tofu, and leafy green vegetables. There are a lot of medicines to help prevention and help pain for osteoporosis such as Actonel, Binosto, Boniva, and Fosamax, work by inhibiting cells that break down bone and slowing bone loss. There are strict ways to take these medications, since if taken incorrectly; they can lead to ulcers in the esophagus. Another new osteoporosis medication of the same class is Reclast, which is given as a once-yearly 15-minute infusion in a vein. Reclast is said to increase bone strength and reduce fractures in the hip, spine and wrist, arm, leg, or rib. Vista is an osteoporosis drug that has some actions similar to estrogen, such as the ability to maintain bone mass. However, studies have shown that