Bone Health
All Bone Health articles
52 articles · showing 1–30
Introduction: What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that primarily affects post-menopausal women. It is estimated that more than one in two women over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture.
Diagnosis of Osteoporosis with Bone Mineral Density Measurement
Technologists often diagnose osteoporosis by measuring a patient's bone mineral density (BMD). Bone mineral density measures the amount of calcium in regions of the bones.
Bone Health Information & Resource Center
Maintaining bone health at all stages of one's lifetime is important. The body gains more bone up until about age 30, at which time it begins to lose bone. The onset of menopause at around age 50 can lead to greater bone loss, as can certain cancer treatments.
Bone Fractures in Cancer Patients and Survivors
A spinal fracture (also called a vertebral compression fracture) occurs when one of the bones of the spinal column fractures. When more than one spinal fracture occurs, loss of height or spinal deformities such as a dowager's hump may result.
Bone-Building Checklist: 5 Ways to Help Prevent Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis affects roughly 25 million American women. Though osteoporosis most often affects post-menopausal women, women (and men) of all ages should take preventive measures to help maintain strong, healthy bones. This section offers five tips for preventing osteoporosis in women.
Risk Factors and Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Childlessness: Women who never have children are at higher risk for osteoporosis. During each pregnancy, women experience temporary surges of estrogen that helps protect them from osteoporosis. Low calcium intake (as an adult or child):Calcium is essential for healthy bones.
Study: Osteoporosis Drug Raloxifene (Evista) Protects Against Heart Problems Too
Stroke Increases Risk of Osteoporosis (dateline July 22, 2002) Though stroke and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis are usually thought of as two distinct health problems, an analysis of several studies finds a strong connection between them.
Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis More Likely to Develop Osteoporosis
A new study shows that women who have rheumatoid arthritis, a condition in which the immune system attacks its own joint tissue, may be twice as likely to develop osteoporosis compared with healthy women. Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease affecting one third of post-menopausal women.
New Automated Blood Test Helps Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared a new automated blood test to help prevent and treat osteoporosis and Paget�s disease, two severe bone diseases.
FDA-Approval of Hand-Held Device Will Allow Osteoporosis Patients To Measure Bone Loss at Home
Courtesy of Ostex International. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently granted regulatory approval to a new device that allows patients with osteoporosis to quickly determine whether their treatment is working.
FDA Approves New Drug, Actonel, to Treat and Prevent Osteoporosis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the drug Actonel (generic name, risedronate sodium) to help treat and prevent osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease.
New Drug, Actonel, Reduces Bone Fractures in Post-Menopausal Women
A new drug called Actonel (generic name, risedronate sodium) has been shown to improve bone mineral density and reduce the risk of broken bones in post-menopausal women who suffer from osteoporosis.
Effects of Osteoporosis Drug Treatment May Take Two Years or Longer
Some women who take prescription drugs to rebuild their bone density after menopause may not see the effects for two years or longer.
Study Finds Low Bone Density Undiagnosed in Many Post-Menopausal Women
A newly published study finds that almost half of post-menopausal women in the United States have low bone mineral density, a risk factor for osteoporosis.
Radiologists Recommend Early Osteoporosis Screening
At the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) held in Chicago, a radiologist from the University of California at San Diego recommended that most women begin receiving bone mineral density measurements for osteoporosis between the ages of 21 and 35. David J.
FDA Warns About Possible Complications of Cement Used to Treat Spinal Fractures
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning which states that severe complications can result from the cement substance used in procedures to treat spinal fractures.
Study Finds Calcium, Vitamin D Supplements Help Improve Bone Mass But Don't Protect Against Most Fractures or Colorectal Cancer
Results of a recent study suggest that taking calcium and vitamin D supplements provide only a modest benefit in protecting bone mass and preventing hip fractures in some older women but do not protect against other types of fractures or colorectal cancer.
Once Weekly Fosamax Tablet Effective Against Osteoporosis
Fosamax (generic name, alendronate sodium) is a drug commonly prescribed to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.
New Spinal Surgery and New Medication Among Discoveries Presented at Osteoporosis Conference
Researchers presented findings on several exciting new advancements in osteoporosis treatment at the meeting of the World Congress on Osteoporosis 2000 in Chicago, Illinois this June.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy Helps Prevent Osteoporosis in Post-Menopausal Women
A recent study published in the October issue of Natural Medicine confirms several previous studies that suggest women who use estrogen replacement therapy after menopause are at a lower risk of osteoporosis than post-menopausal women who do not take estrogen.
Oral Contraception Increases Bone Density in Post-Menopausal Women
The results of a study published in the January 2000 issue of The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology showed that post-menopausal women who take oral contraception may significantly increase bone mineral density and decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Researchers Investigate Once-Yearly Treatment for Osteoporosis as Alternative to Daily Medication
While a variety of drugs exist to help prevent or treat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, many people find the regimens or side effects of these medications to be bothersome.
Researchers Determine Which Women Should Receive Bone Density Screening Exams
In a study of over 1600 women, researchers have identified three risk factors that contribute to high risk of osteoporosis : age, weight, and estrogen use.
Stroke Increases Risk of Osteoporosis
Though stroke and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis are usually thought of as two distinct health problems, an analysis of several studies finds a strong connection between them.
Experimental Osteoporosis Drug Shows Promise, May Soon Be Available to Public
A new drug called Forteo (generic name, teriparatide) may soon be the first FDA approved drug that actually helps form new bone in patients with osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease.
Researchers Explore Link Between Low Bone Mineral Density and Stroke Risk in Women
Several risk factors for stroke have been clearly identified, including age, family history of stroke, smoking, lack of physical activity, and high blood pressure.
British Scientists Grow Bone From Stem Cells, Could One Day Help Those With Osteoporosis
For the first time, scientists have successfully transformed unspecialized embryo cells into bone, according to a presentation by British researchers at a symposium for stem cell research in London. Approximately 90% of the stem cells from a mouse embryo grew into bone within 21 days.
Low Dose Hormone Replacement Therapy Prevents Osteoporosis, Minimizes Negative Side Effects
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a common treatment for osteoporosis, is not used by some women because it causes a variety of negative side effects.
FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Approval of Bone-Forming Drug to Treat Osteoporosis in Women
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unanimously recommended the approval of the bone-forming drug Forteo (generic name, teriparatide) to help treat post-menopausal women with osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease.
Wrist Fractures Commonly Indicate Osteoporosis
A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery shows that women who fracture a wrist within 10 years of entering menopause are at a significantly higher risk of developing osteoporosis compared to post-menopausal women who have not had any wrist fractures.