{mosimage}Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by the decreased mineral density of bones which causes the decrease of bone firmness and consequently vulnerable to mechanic breaks, spontaneous or caused by some force that is usually weaker than it would be usually needed for fracture of a healthy bone.
This is so called ‘silent’ disease, bringing no symptoms until the bone fracture happens, while these fractures may occur even during some usual everyday activities. Most often osteoporotic fractures are those of spinal vertebra, head of the thigh and forearm bones.
Health Centre Dr Ristić performs osteoporosis diagnostics OSTEODESITYMETRY -DEXA on the device called OSTEOCOR- MEDIX 90. The measuring of bone density is performed routinely for lumbal spine and hips, while it is also possible to perform it for the whole bone and joints system.
From March 1st to March 31th – bone density metrics detecting (DEXA) can be performed in this Health Centre by the price of 1000 RSD (for partial examination of lumbal spine or hips), and 1500 RSD for osteodesitometry of of lumbal spine and hips
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by the decreased mineral density of bones which causes the decrease of bone firmness and consequently vulnerable to mechanic breaks, spontaneous or caused by some force that is usually weaker than it would be usually needed for fracture of a healthy bone.
This is so called ‘silent’ disease, bringing no symptoms until the bone fracture happens, while these fractures may occur even during some usual everyday activities. Most often osteoporotic fractures are those of spinal vertebra, head of the thigh and forearm bones.
Is it often?
Approximately 10 percent of total population suffers from osteoporosis, significantly more often in women population. It is estimated that every second woman older than the age of 50 has osteoporosis, while in men it appears in one of eight men older than the age of 50.
Osteoporosis is one of the main causes of serious disability and decrease of life quality. Even up to one fourth of patients who had hip fractures demand a long-term medical and social care and assistance. That is why it is very important to detect the decrease of bone density in time, i.e. as soon as possible.
How does it appear?
Maximal bone density is achieved at the age of 30. After this life period, bone density decreases by 0,5 to 1 percent every year, till the age of 50. After menopauses, the bone density may go up to 10 percent per year. This high percentage of decrease is particularly high in the first 5 to 10 years of menopause and it leads to so called postmenopausal osteoporosis. It is believed that this phenomenon appears due to lack of sex hormones, first of all including estrogen. In persons older than 70, we find so called senile osteoporosis, while secondary osteoporosis may occur as the consequence of a number of diseases or as a result of consuming the medicaments which have negative influence on bone tissue.
Unchangeable genetic factors (gender, rase) on one side, and some external factors we can influence to, define the maximum of bone density and this is very important for the later period of our life.
Risk factors for osteoporosis are the following: family anamnesis (osteoporosis fracture case in family member), gender, age, small body mass (BMI<19kg/m2), inadequate nutrition (diets poor with calcium and vitamin D ), alcohol, cigarettes, coffee (more than four cups per day), physical inactivity, late menarche (later than the age of 15), amenorrhea longer than six months, early natural or surgical menopause (before the age of 45), various diseases ( hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, rheumatic arthritis, chronic kidney insufficiency, hypogonadism, serious alcoholism…), the use of certain medicines (corticosteroids, antiepileptic, heparin…)
How to diagnose osteoporosis?
By classical X-ray examination, osteoporosis can be detected only when the decrease of 30 to 40 percent of body density has already occurred.
Osteodensimetry DXA is a ’’golden standard’’ for osteoporosis diagnostics.
In patients with some of the risk factors for osteoporosis, BMD (bone mineral density) should be performed (Bone Mineral Density – BMD) by DXA method, based on low energy X-ray application.
The results of BMD – bone density can be expressed as differentiation (the number of standard deviations) from the average bone density in young healthy persons (aged between 20 to 40) and it is called T-score, or as differentiation from the values related to the healthy persons of the same age – called Z-score.
Who should have osteodensitometry ?
1. Women older than the age of 65
2. Women in menopause, younger than the age of 65, having one or more risk factors
3. Women in post menopause, who had fractures
4. Women who entered menopause before the age of 45
5. Adults with osteoporotic fractures
6. In cases when classical radiography showed the reasonable doubt to the existence of osteoporosis
7. Adults who suffer from diseases or take medicines related to low bone density risk or bone density loss (the use of corticosteroids longer than 2 months… )
8. Men with clinical suspicion to osteoporosis, anamnesis of fracture followed by minimal trauma, as well as all men older than the age of 70
9. Women with long-term amenorrhea
10. In case of osteoporosis treatment control
What are the spots where bone density is to be measured?
DXA method of measuring the bone density is performed on lumbal spine and hips. It is also possible to perform the tests on the forearm bone, as well as the measuring for whole body. No particular preparation period is needed for this method. The examination itself lasts for about 5 minutes, while the radiation dosage is practically completely harmless and minimal.
How to cure osteoporosis ?
Osteoporosis treatment therapy is adapted to modern life style, including occasional control osteodesitometry. The main goal of this therapy is not only to prevent further loss of bone density, but also to increase the bone density above the risk values for fracture probability. Most of the medicines which are used nowadays in osteoporosis therapy influences the decrease of bone density loss, while some of the medicines just encourage the bone density increased creation. Consuming of such medicines can increase bone density up to 7-9% in best cases, in a three years period. Maximal effect is achieved in the first year of treatment. Each case of bone density increase by 5-8 percent, reduces the risk of bone fractures up to two times.
Dr Milica Krstić
