Osteoporosis Screening Methods Overview

With risk factors that encompasses everyone, nobody is safe from osteoporosis. Right now, more than 10 million Americans – both men and women – have already been afflicted with this major health problem and 34 million more at great risk. So that health plans will be initiated sooner, detecting the disease before it develops further is crucial.

There is much effort people exert in preventing or treating osteoporosis although some may not be very effective. For example, drugs like soy supplements that not diminish symptoms of osteoporosis are being included in their therapy since many believed they are beneficial.

To find out if you are likely to develop osteoporosis, your bone mineral density (BMD) is being computed. Diagnostics for osteoporosis are essential in your therapy and we have listed the most commonly used tools to make you familiar with those tests.

Dexa Scan (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry or DXA)

DXA is the most preferred technique to measure BMD. A DXA machine produces 2 x-ray beams with different energy levels – one beam has higher while the other has lower energy level. The thickness of the bone is determined by the amount of x-rays passing through the bones and from there the BMD can be measured.

Quantitative Computed Tomography

QCT bone densitometry uses high amount of exposure to radiation and costs a lot of money causing it to be unavailable for general clinical use. The method uses a CT scanner to get an accurate status of your bone. This 3-dimensional technique though is 2-3 times more sensitive than DXA making it the most accurate tool to measure bone density.

Ultrasonography

Quite a new diagnostic tool to determine your BMD, the ultrasound does not use radiation. The sonar beam is directed to a certain area where the scattering and the absorption of the waves will allow the assessment of BMD. This fairly new tool is still not as precise as the previous two techniques and perhaps more research are still being conducted about it.

Life with osteoporosis is never a joke. The throes of the disease itself are already an ordeal; and if you are taking bisphosphonates you might also be in agony with its adverse effects. For instance, some long-term Fosamax users claimed they have been harmed by the prolonged use of the drug which triggered them to file a Fosamax lawsuit against the maker of the drug.

References:

http://www.newportbodyscan.com/OsteoporosisFAQ%27s.htm#6

http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/dexa-scan

What are the Other Drugs Used for Osteoporosis

Afflicting more than 10 million Americans with another 34 million at risk, the remedy for osteoporosis is an essential medical intervention. When the reports about Fosamax and other bisphosphonates causing serious adverse effects arose, the demand for a different medication also skyrockets. A number of studies are also performed including one which aims to determine whether eating dried plums can replace Fosamax against osteoporosis.

Despite having bisphosphonates as the most widely recommended remedy, a number of alternative options are also invented to manage this brittle bone disease in cases where your health disallows the use of the said drug. Other medicinal therapies in line chiefly deal with replacing certain hormones in the body. These substitute medicaments are also becoming popular in reversing the effects of osteoporosis on the bones.

Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Before the advent of bisphosphonates in medical science, HRT is the most widely recommended treatment for osteoporosis. Women, particularly those who have passed menopause, are often prescribed with either estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin, which are known to prevent bone resorption and diminish the risk of fracture. Unfortunately, a study in July 2002 become the turning point of events as it revealed the significant increase of risk of morbid diseases such as breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke in some women.

Evista (raloxifene)

Evista is a drug under selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) class which acts like an estrogen on the bones but acts otherwise on the uterus and the breasts. Unlike HRT, raloxifene does not increase one’s risk of breast cancers. Although this medicine could increase the clot formation in the veins and in the lungs. 

Protelos (strontium ranelate)

In the constant bone remodeling cycle, strontium ranelate functions by preventing the loss of calcium from the bones during bone resorption while stimulating the formation of new bones which is done by bone cells known as osteoblasts. This drug is often prescribed to menopausal women suffering from osteoporosis. Unfortunately, this drug is only sold in Europe and is yet to be permitted by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

While there are several pharmaceutical interventions available for treating osteoporosis, it is best to confer with your doctor to find out the treatment that fits your condition. Combating osteoporosis does not primarily depend on bisphosphonates like Fosamax. Therefore, it will be unnecessary to situate yourself in a great danger of incurring Fosamax adverse effects which are now becoming the basis of people filing a Fosamax lawsuit against Merck – the drug maker.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raloxifene

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000762.html

http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteoporosis-treatments

How Sharon Wyatt’s Battle with Osteoporosis Ended with Jawbone Problems

Who could ever forget about Sharon Wyatt and the longest running soap opera in the American Television General Hospital? She played as Tiffany Hill Donely where she was active from June 1981 to July 10, 1984 and August 1986 to February 24, 1995 with reappearance in the 2008 season finale. Now that her part of the soap is done, she faces an entirely different challenge in her life – osteoporosis.

Sharon was diagnosed to have an early stage of osteoporosis way around four years ago. She was then prescribed with the bone-strengthening medication Fosamax which was made by Merck & Co. Fosamax is a bisphosphonate drug that is often prescribed for bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteitis deformans (Paget’s disease).

Fearing that her condition could get worse, Sharon adhered strictly to her Fosamax therapy. Surprisingly, she suffered a severe adverse incident. According to her, “It was supposed to help [my] bones, but it made it worse.”

It was found that Sharon had an osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). It’s a severe bone disease where a facial bone tissue necrotizes (dies) as a result of poor blood supply. 

The former General Hospital actress was nervous that ONJ would impinge on her career. “I’m afraid how it’s gonna affect my speaking.That’s death of an actor: If you can’t say the lines, you can’t work.” She already had a repair surgery for her ONJ last April 1.

As for now, Sharon is caring for her elderly mother in Tennesse. She needs to stay tough especially for her mother. "I told God I had about all I could handle and then this happens," she said."So I said, okay, fine, we'll get through this."

Bisphosphonates including Fosamax have been linked to ONJ. Merck allegedly failed to warn its patients about the said risk when taking the drug which might have made a significant decrease of the number of patients affected by the backlash.

Aside from ONJ, large studies have also noted the risk of suffering an unusual fracture on the femur bone after consuming the drug over a long duration. A number of patients have reported such incident claiming that their use of the drug has caused the damage. The other alternative treatment hormone therapy may also cause hip fracture when ceased according to a study – causing its patients to feel more dispirited.