The word osteoporosis literally means “porous bones.” It occurs when bones lose an excessive amount of their protein and mineral content, particularly calcium. Over time, bone mass, and therefore bone strength, is decreased. As a result, bones become fragile and break easily. Even a sneeze or a sudden movement may be enough to break a bone in someone with severe osteoporosis.
Monitoring bone density in older women is unnecessary and potentially misleading — Value of routine monitoring of bone mineral density after starting bisphosphonate treatment. – Monitoring bone mineral density in postmenopausal women taking osteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates) is unnecessary and potentially misleading, revealed by researchers through a new study published on bmj.com.
Scientists discover way to jumpstart bone’s healing process. In-body stem cell therapy has enormous potential for bone injuries. – Osteoporosis drug teriparatide or Forteo can boost bodies’ bone stem cell production to the point that adults’ bones appear to have the ability to heal at a rate typically seen when they were young kids, revealed by researchers.
Older adults who experience osteoporotic fracture have increased risk of death for 5-10 years – Women and men age 60 years or older who have a low-trauma osteoporotic fracture have an increased risk of death for the following 5 to 10 years, compared to the general population, and those who experience another fracture increase their risk of death further for an additional 5 years, according to a study in the February 4 issue of JAMA.
An experimental Merck & Co. osteoporosis drug improved bone strength in postmenopausal women after two years of treatment with Odanacatib. – 2 year data from a Phase IIB study of odanacatib (formerly MK-0822), an investigational, selective cathepsin-K inhibitor in development for the treatment of osteoporosis by Merck & Co., Inc., demonstrated dose-dependent increases in bone mineral density (BMD) at the total hip, lumbar spine and femoral neck fracture sites and decreased indices of bone resorption compared to placebo in postmenopausal women with low BMD.
FDA is highlighting the possibility of severe and sometimes incapacitating bone, joint, and/or muscle (musculoskeletal) pain in patients taking bisphosphonates. – A popular class of osteoporosis drugs, bisphosphonates nearly triples the risk of developing bone necrosis, a condition that can lead to disfigurement and incapacitating pain, revealed by researchers in a study. The research conducted by reasearchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Canada.
Genetically modifying carrots to express increased levels of a gene that enables the transport of calcium across membranes of plant cells can make the vegetables a better source of calcium. – A specially developed carrot has been produced to help people absorb more calcium. Researchers studied the calcium intake of humans who ate the carrot and found a net increase in calcium absorption. Adding this carrot to the diet can help prevent such diseases as osteoporosis.
Contrary to recent reports, oral osteoporosis medications that inhibit bone breakdown reduce the risk of jaw problems, based on an analysis of medical claims. – Some doctors and dentists had advised patients who take oral osteoporosis medications such as Fosamax and Boniva to postpone dental work, fearing that tooth extractions and other procedures would exacerbate jaw problems purportedly linked to the medication. But the new findings refute the link and suggest the benefits of dentistry likely outweigh the risks for many of these patients.
Older women with a prevalent vertebral fracture should be treated for osteoporosis irrespective of bone mineral density BMD. – Over a 15 year period, women with low bone mineral density and a previous vertebral fracture had an increased risk of a new vertebral fracture compared to women with normal bone mineral density and no previous fracture, according to a study in the December 19 issue of JAMA.
A team of UC Davis researchers has developed a method that assesses nearly a dozen factors to predict the five-year risk of hip fractures in postmenopausal women.
– To help doctors predict the five-year risk of hip fractures in their postmenopausal patients, a team of UC Davis researchers has developed a method that assesses nearly a dozen factors, including age, ethnicity and level of physical activity.
