Public release date: 11-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: L. Misteli info@iofbonehealth.org 41-229-940-100 International Osteoporosis Foundation

The Middle East region is expecting a demographic explosion in the number of people over the age of 50 in the coming decades. By 2020 it is expected that 25% of the population will be over the age of 50 and by 2050 this will rise to 40%.

This is a warning call for health authorities and medical professionals who must be prepared to cope with a dramatic rise in age-related chronic diseases such as osteoporosis.

In response to the need for more regional research and health professional education in osteoporosis, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the Pan Arab Osteoporosis Society (PAOS) will be staging the 2nd Middle East & Africa Osteoporosis Meeting and 6th Pan Arab Osteoporosis Congress PAOC’6. The joint meeting will take place from September 27 to October 1, 2012 at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, Jordan. The Meeting will be held in partnership with the Jordanian Osteoporosis Prevention Society (JOPS), Jordanian Physicians Osteoporosis Society (JPOS) and the Palestinian Osteoporosis Prevention Society (POPS).

Complete information about the meeting is available at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/jordan-2012

Judy Stenmark, CEO of IOF commented, “In countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, the number of hip fractures is rising and projected to quadruple by 2050. It is therefore essential that health professionals learn about the latest clinical advances in the prevention, diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. We also encourage clinicians and investigators to publish their research abstracts as this is an excellent opportunity to showcase regional research at an international scientific forum.”

###

Abstract Submission:

Abstracts will be published in a supplement issue of the journal ‘Osteoporosis International’. IOF will offer five prestigious young investigator awards to the top five ranked abstracts by researchers 40 years of age and under. Abstracts must be submitted by May 20 at the latest, at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/jordan-2012/abstracts

See more here:
Second Middle East & Africa Osteoporosis Meeting to take place in Jordan

Previous UCSF Research Found Overall Reduction in Spine Fractures but Not for Other Types of Fractures

Newswise Continuing a popular but controversial treatment for osteoporosis could reduce spine fracture risk for a particular group of patients, but others could see little to no change if they discontinue it. Based on available evidence, a UCSF researcher reevaluated his 2006 finding from a randomized 10-year study of alendronate, a type of bisphosphonate a class of drugs that prevent loss of bone mass.

Our study suggests that even after five years of therapy, if your bone density is low enough, youre at high risk for having additional spine fractures, said Dennis Black, PhD, professor and division chief of UCSFs Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Clinical Trials and Multicenter Studies. And by continuing this therapy for these patients, its likely to decrease that risk for spine fractures. The study was funded by Merck, the maker of Fosamax, a commercial version of alendronate.

Osteoporosis is responsible for 1.5 million fractures in the United States a year at a cost of $14 billion annually. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Balancing Risks vs. Benefits Treating osteoporosis with bisphosphonates, particularly for more than five years, has been linked to some side effects, including atypical femur fractures. Public concerns led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to hold a hearing last September about the drug. The organization is expected to publish its guidelines in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) this week, alongside Blacks perspective.

Any decrease in spine fracture risk will need to be balanced against a possible but unknown increase in other side effects including atypical femur fractures Black said.

It is clearly established that three to five years of bisphosphonates are beneficial in reducing fractures, particularly in women with existing low bone density, he added. However, whether treatment should continue after five years has been controversial. I think the FDA is going to say that theres limited data that continuing bisphosphonates long-term will further reduce fracture risk, and many people can safely discontinue after three to five years.

Black hopes his perspective will give physicians and patients specific information about who might benefit by continuing and specifically what that benefit might be.

Studying Risk of Spine Fracture The original study by Black and colleagues studied a total of 6,459 women for up to five years, comparing alendronate to a placebo. That study showed less fracture risk of spine, hip and other major bones and led to FDA approval of alendronate in 1997. In a newer 2006 continuation study, 1,099 of the women who had taken alendronate for an average of five years at the start of the continuation study were randomly assigned to five more years of alendronate or a placebo. Those who continued on alendronate showed lower risk of spine fractures but no difference in risk for non-spine and hip fractures.

Our study suggests that at least for women who are at very high risk for spine fractures, they will benefit by continuing alendronate therapy to decrease the number of spine fractures, Black said.

Follow this link:
Long-Term Use of Osteoporosis Medication May Reduce Bone Fracture Risk for Some Patients

When we think about osteoporosis it often brings to mind elderly women and hip fractures. Although this is certainly a disease that becomes most apparent in older age, it is important for women and men of all ages to recognize and understand.

Osteoporosis is simply low bone mass or density. It is estimated that approximately 50 percent of the American population over the age of 50 have thinning of the bones. The disease is important because of the risk it poses for fracture as we age.

For most people, peak bone density occurs in their 20s and then slowly falls with age. Because of this, it is extremely important to ingest enough calcium and vitamin D even as young children. Vitamin D helps absorb the calcium in the intestines, deposit minerals in bone, and is necessary for optimal muscle function. If you do not take in enough calcium and vitamin D your body will reabsorb it from the bone, decreasing bone density. In general the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of elemental calcium for men and premenopausal women is around 1,000 mg total (diet plus supplement) and 1, 200 mg in postmenopausal women. Infants from 0-6 months should get 210 mg a day; 6-12 months need 270 mg; age 1-3 years need 500 mg; age 4-8 years need 800 mg and ages 9-18 years need 1,300 mg daily. Remember this is total intake and often children eat a lot of dairy products and may get enough through diet. The RDA of vitamin D for children ages 1-70 years is 600 international units (IU) and increases to 800 IU after the age of 70.

Another important factor that increases peak bone density and decreases loss over time is physical activity. Weight-bearing exercise is associated with small but significant increases in bone density in all groups of people, no matter what sex or age. The minimal recommendation is 30 minutes of physical activity daily on most days of the week. This is as simple as taking a brisk walk that gets your heart rate up.

Both smoking and excessive alcohol intake are associated with decreased bone density. However, moderate alcohol consumption does not seem to affect density. Briefly, the basic guide for appropriate intake is no more than three servings of alcohol in one sitting or seven servings in a week for woman and no more than four servings in one sitting or 14 in one week for men. This general rule for alcohol consumption is appropriate for health in general and is a good rule to follow.

Bone loss increases as we age with postmenopausal women at higher risk for osteoporosis because of the decrease in estrogen. As always genetics plays a part in how fast we lose bone density as well.

Typically screening for osteoporosis with a DEXA scan starts at the age of 65 in woman. There are many risk factors that suggest earlier screening, so it is always good to discuss your risk with your provider. Routine screening in men is not necessary but there are also risk factors that suggest screening. These include fracture with minimal trauma, loss of more than 1.5 inches in height, long term prednisone use or hormone disorders.

As with most things in life, a healthy diet (with appropriate supplementation), exercise, smoking cessation and moderate alcohol intake, make the biggest impact on overall health and prevention of disease.

Questions or comments can be addressed to Allisun G. Jensen, PA-C c/o Ravalli Family Medicine, 411 West Main Street, Hamilton, MT 59840.

Read the original post:
Osteoporosis estimated to impact half of American population

SAN FRANCISCO Continuing a popular but controversial treatment for osteoporosis could reduce spine fracture risk for a particular group of patients, but others could see little to no change if they discontinue it. Based on available evidence, a UCSF researcher reevaluated his 2006 finding from a randomized 10-year study of alendronate, a type of bisphosphonate a class of drugs that prevent loss of bone mass.

Our study suggests that even after five years of therapy, if your bone density is low enough, youre at high risk for having additional spine fractures, said Dennis Black, Ph.D., professor and division chief of UCSFs Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Clinical Trials and Multicenter Studies. And by continuing this therapy for these patients, its likely to decrease that risk for spine fractures. The study was funded by Merck, the maker of Fosamax, a commercial version of alendronate.

Osteoporosis is responsible for 1.5 million fractures in the United States a year at a cost of $14 billion annually. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Treating osteoporosis with bisphosphonates, particularly for more than five years, has been linked to some side effects, including atypical femur fractures. Public concerns led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to hold a hearing last September about the drug. The organization is expected to publish its guidelines in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) this week, alongside Blacks perspective.

Any decrease in spine fracture risk will need to be balanced against a possible but unknown increase in other side effects including atypical femur fractures, Black said.

It is clearly established that three to five years of bisphosphonates are beneficial in reducing fractures, particularly in women with existing low bone density, he added. However, whether treatment should continue after five years has been controversial. I think the FDA is going to say that theres limited data that continuing bisphosphonates long-term will further reduce fracture risk, and many people can safely discontinue after three to five years.

Black hopes his perspective will give physicians and patients specific information about who might benefit by continuing and specifically what that benefit might be.

The original study by Black and colleagues studied a total of 6,459 women for up to five years, comparing alendronate to a placebo. That study showed less fracture risk of spine, hip and other major bones and led to FDA approval of alendronate in 1997. In a newer 2006 continuation study, 1,099 of the women who had taken alendronate for an average of five years at the start of the continuation study were randomly assigned to five more years of alendronate or a placebo. Those who continued on alendronate showed lower risk of spine fractures but no difference in risk for non-spine and hip fractures.

Our study suggests that at least for women who are at very high risk for spine fractures, they will benefit by continuing alendronate therapy to decrease the number of spine fractures, Black said.

Elevated public concerns about the possible link between alendronate and femur fractures, as well as other side effects such as osteonecrosis of the jaw bone death caused by poor blood supply to the area have compelled the FDA to address the issue this week. While the FDA perspective includes information about possible risks of long-term use, Blacks study specifically examined long term fracture benefits.

View post:
Osteoporosis drug may reduce bone fracture risk

Patients at risk of osteoporosis in Pendle, are now able to be seen and treated quickly and efficiently due to the launch of a new service.

See the article here:
Help available quicker for Pendle osteoporosis sufferers

Q: My father was in terrible pain the last few years of his life due to numerous osteoporosis related back fractures. I always thought this was a condition which happened to older women. How do you know if you are at risk for developing osteoporosis?

A: Along with remembering our special moms and honoring older Americans, May is also recognized as National Osteoporosis Month. The National Institute of Health points out while this diagnosis occurs more often in women it does present a “significant threat to millions of men in the United States.” It is estimated by the year 2020 one in two adults over the age of 50 in our country will be at risk for developing osteoporosis.

Simply stated, osteoporosis (loss of bone density) leads to weakening of the skeleton often resulting in broken bones. This condition is the major cause of fractures, back pain and spinal problems in older adults. There are no obvious symptoms in the beginning. Even after a fracture, occurs people do not automatically associate the injury to the condition.

Risk factors for developing osteoporosis are numerous and include: age, family history, menopause for women and low testosterone for men, inadequate intake of calcium and Vitamin D, inactive lifestyle, small-boned/underweight body type, excess abdominal fat and smoking or alcohol abuse. Existing medical conditions (liver/kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid problems) and certain medications can also be contributing factors.

Once osteoporosis has begun, the condition cannot be reversed. The approach is to maintain and prevent additional bone loss. There are steps everyone can take to potentially reduce their personal risk. It is important to maintain a healthy weight, limit alcohol consumption and quit smoking, introduce sufficient calcium either through food and/or supplements if recommended by your physician. Develop an exercise routine, although it is important to understand which activities are beneficial. Prescribed medications should be taken correctly and routinely reviewed for drugs which could impact osteoporosis.

While the intent of this column is to provide basic information readers are always encouraged to openly discuss concerns with their physician and seek appropriate medical intervention. Individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis may be encouraged to take drugs specifically intended to reduce further deterioration.

Do you have a question? Direct inquiries to ro@esmv.org or Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc. 360 Merrimack St. B#5, Lawrence, MA 01843.

Follow this link:
Are you at risk of developing osteoporosis?

Stockholm, May 7 (IANS) Young men who play load bearing games such as volleyball and basketball for four hours a week or more increase bone mass, which may ensure protection from osteoporosis later in life, says a study.

Follow this link:
Playing basketball, soccer staves off Osteoporosis

Is it true that people in North Dakota are more likely to develop osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis weakens bones and increases the risk of broken bones. People in northern climates not just North Dakota have higher incidences of osteoporosis.

The theory is that people living in these climates have vitamin D deficiency because the majority of vitamin D levels in our bodies comes from skin exposure to sufficient sunlight. Long winters with restricted sunlight inhibit our ability to absorb vitamin D, which plays a major role in bone strength and growth. Eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of foods containing vitamin D and staying physically active can do a lot to prevent development of osteoporosis.

Who is most likely to develop osteoporosis?

Almost 80 percent of bone density is determined by heredity and 20 percent by lifestyle so anyone who has a family member with osteoporosis is at higher risk. It occurs most frequently in postmenopausal women because estrogen, which blocks or slows bone loss, diminishes during menopause.

While osteoporosis is often thought of as a womans disease, 25 percent of men over 50 also will be diagnosed. Others at greater risk include individuals with chronic gastrointestinal and thyroid diseases, eating disorders, transplants, and users of certain long-term prescription medications. If you smoke, abuse alcohol, live a sedentary lifestyle and/or consume a diet low in nutrition and vitamin D, your chances of developing osteoporosis also increase.

How would I know if I have osteoporosis?

Many people are never diagnosed until they break a bone because osteoporosis is a silent disease. If you are a woman 65 or older or a man 70 or older, your primary care doctor will likely recommend a bone mineral density test. A BMD is a safe, painless X-ray that measures the density of your bones.

Your primary care doctor also may recommend a BMD at a younger age if you have risk factors or have already had a broken bone.

Why is it important to have a BMD?

Here is the original post:
Questions and answers about osteoporosis

Union Hospital will focus on osteoporosis at its Take Charge of Your Health free informational program May 10.

The event will be 7 p.m. in the Union Hospital Reeves Auditorium, 659 Boulevard St.

Dr. Susanne Morgan of Union Hospital Physician Services will discuss with participants methods to decrease the progression of thinning bones, also known as osteoporosis.

Registration for the event is encouraged. To register, go to www.unionhospital.org or call 330-602-0778.

Read this article:
Osteoporosis program is May 10 at Union Hospital

Public release date: 24-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Naomi Weston nweston@rcog.org.uk 020-777-26357 Wiley-Blackwell

Women who go through the menopause early are nearly twice as likely to suffer from osteoporosis in later life, suggests new research published today (25 April) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The Swedish study looked at the long-term effects of early menopause on mortality, risk of fragility fracture and osteoporosis.

In 1977, 390 white north European women aged 48 were recruited in the Malmo Perimenopausal Study, an observational study where women were followed from age 48 onwards.

The women were divided into two categories; women who started the menopause before 47 and women who started the menopause at age 47 or later.

The women’s bone mineral density (BMD) was measured. At the age of 77, all eligible women were re-measured for BMD. At this point, 298 women were still alive while 92 had died. One hundred out of the 298 women still alive had relocated or declined further participation, leaving 198 women to attend the follow-up measurement.

The study found that at the age of 77, 56% of women with early menopause had osteoporosis, in comparison with 30% of women with late menopause.

Women who started the menopause early were also found to have a higher risk of fragility fracture and of mortality. The mortality rate was 52.4% in the early menopause group compared to 35.2% in the late menopause group. The fracture incidence rate was 44.3% in the early menopause group compared to 30.7% in the late menopause group.

Ola Svejme, orthopaedic surgeon at the Skne University Hospital, Malmo, Sweden and main author of the paper said:

Visit link:
Early menopause linked to higher risk of osteoporosis, fracture and mortality