|
Stories for Reprint
Osteoporosis Also Affects Men
By Ferdous Al-Faruque, MARRTC Staff
Though osteoporosis is most frequently associated with postmenopausal women, the disease can affect both sexes. A new study by Canadian and American universities suggests that there needs to be more focus on men with osteoporosis.
An illness that causes bones to lose their density and become brittle, osteoporosis is often called the "silent disease." Often people don't realize they have osteoporosis until they have a fracture, which can be both painful and costly. The study conducted by McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and Texas A&M University, and funded by Proctor and Gamble Pharmaceuticals, found the cost of treating elderly men for fractures accounts for a large dent in the healthcare system.
Researchers analyzed medical records of almost 1.9 million Americans between the ages of 50 and 89. They found that men accounted for almost a third of the costs of fractures that were attributed to fragile bones. Furthermore, the research showed that 90 percent of such costs were due to non-vertebral fractures, which are fractures that occur in places other than the spine.
Ten million Americans have the disease and more people are being diagnosed with osteoporosis every day. Though 4 out of 5 people with osteoporosis are women, Jonathan Adachi, MD, a professor of medicine at McMaster University and primary author of the study, says too often people forget men suffer from osteoporosis as well. "A lot of people discount men having osteoporosis," he said. "What this study shows is men do suffer from osteoporosis, they don't fracture quite as much as women, but the costs are quite substantial."
Adachi says men often think that it's normal to have a fracture from falling, especially as people age, but that is a misconception. "Men are in denial," he said. "People fall all the time and they don't fracture." People who have fractures are at increased risk of having further fractures that can sometimes be fatal. "If they have had a fracture they need to be evaluated for osteoporosis (by their physician)," says Adachi.
People diagnosed with osteoporosis are often prescribed a group of drugs called bisphosphonates to strengthen their bones. However, some of these drugs are only good at strengthening the spine. Adachi says newer drugs are better at strengthening all bones and could save people money and pain in the long run. "What I want is the best available therapy for my patients," he says. "If this type of (research) helps get the best available medication and treatment for them, then I'm all for it."
|
|
