HEALTH & FITNESS
SUBMITTED BY JOHN C CARROZZELLA, M.D. • SAND HILL BONE & JOINT
OSTEOPOROSIS THE OTHER SILENT KILLER
I
magine walking from your car into the local Wal-Mart. You feel great, but without warning, your right foot slips and you hear and feel a loud CRACK that came from your hip. Down you go; youʼve fallen and you really cannot get up. Next stop – the emergency room. If you are over 65, postmenopausal, thin and a smoker, you most likely suffered a fragility fracture of the hip. Fragility fractures occur as a result of Osteoporosis, a very common, yet easily diagnosed and treated problem that has become a very serious health concern in the United States today. The scope of the problems related to Osteoporosis is staggering. Nearly 8 million people have Osteoporosis and another 21 million have reduced bone density that is not yet severe enough to be categorized as Osteoporosis. In women alone, nearly 20% of post menopausal women suffer from this silent affliction and more than 50% have reduced bone density. Osteoporosis is currently the reason for millions of fractures of the hip, forearm and spine annually, leading to a medical burden on society of nearly $17 billion. Yet, it is not the fracture alone that is the problem. With advanced Orthopaedic care available today, nearly all of the fractures themselves can
be successfully treated. It is the complications from these injuries and their treatment that causes the greatest amount of death, suffering and economic loss. As many as 20% of patients who have suffered hip fractures caused by Osteoporosis will DIE within one year of their fracture. Many people will require long or short term nursing care after their acute hospitalization. In fact, nearly 40% of patients who have had hip fractures will experience a serious and permanent reduction in their activity level following treatment of their injury. Spine fractures can also be related to Osteoporosis. They, too, can lead to significant problems that include chronic back pain, activity limitations, breathing and other health problems, and death. And while not as serious, fractures of the wrist, forearm and ankle can often lead to significant functional disability after they are treated. So who gets Osteoporosis? While white women are at the greatest risk, others, including men, can get Osteoporosis, as well. The most significant risk factors include age over 65; previous history of a fracture as an adult; history of Osteoporosis related fractures in close relatives; body
weight less than 125 lbs.; smoking; and chronic steroid (cortisone) usage. Secondary risk factors are impaired vision; early menopause (estrogen deficiency); dementia; poor health/ frailty; history of repetitive falling; low physical activity; low calcium intake; and excessive alcohol use. In addition, a variety of medical conditions and medications are associated with Osteoporosis. Despite being a problem with such serious consequences, Osteoporosis remains a seriously under-diagnosed problem in the Unites States. The fact is this is a silent problem, not known until someone so afflicted suffers a fragility fracture. By then it is too late. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, as well as many other medical societies, has determined that Osteoporosis is a serious imminent health concern. With a heightened awareness, more and more doctors are on the look-out for patients who may be at risk for Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is discovered by doctors who identify those patients who may be at risk. Once identified by asking appropriate questions about their health and medical history, patients can easily be screened by a safe, fast, simple and painless test known as a Dual X-Ray Absorbtiometry (DEXA Scan). This is a test that takes about 10 minutes to complete. Patients lie on an X-Ray table and a simple X-ray scan is done. Computer analysis of the X-ray will then indicate the degree
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of bone mass and whether or not it is indicative of Osteoporosis. Based on the test results, the doctor will recommend no treatment; observation with re-testing; or Osteoporosis treatment. The exact treatment can be as simple as calcium supplementation, Osteoporosis medications (such as Fosamax), or more significant medial treatment for the more serious causes of Osteoporosis. Once the treatment of Osteoporosis is begun, patients will be monitored for improvement (usually by follow-up DEXA scanning at annual or biannual intervals). As Osteoporosis improves, the risk of Osteoporosis related fracture diminishes. At Sand Hill Bone & Joint, Dr. Ott and I are very concerned about the dramatic increase of Osteoporosis related fractures that we have seen over the last several years. Following the lead of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, we are seeking to find and effectively treat people in our community with this “silent killer”. We currently are able to screen and diagnose anyone who may be at risk for Osteoporosis with our state-of-theart DEXA Scanner. If you feel that you may be at risk for Osteoporosis, please feel free to give our office a call to set up an appointment with one of our physicians. (Some of the material and statistics contained in this article were obtained from the National Osteoporosis Foundation at http://www.nof.org/physguide)
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Fellow: American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Fellow: American College of Surgeons Member: American Society for surgery of the Hand Certified: American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons
Team Physician for Florida Southern College National Healthcare Referral Network for USA Gymnastics & USA Swimming American College of Sport Medicine
• General Orthopedics • Total Joint Replacement • Partial Joint Replacement • Mini Incision Joint Replacement
• Sports Medicine • Fracture & Injury Care • Arthroscopic Surgery • Ligament Reconstruction
116 N. Kings Ave. Brandon, Fl 33510
(813) 490-1393
FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • May 15 - June 15 • 2005 PG 88
Certified: Board Certified D.O.
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Plant City, Fl 33567
(813) 754-0817