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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Throughout our lives, our bones undergo constant renovation. In a process called bone turnover, cells called osteoclasts break down and remove old bone, and then cells called osteoblasts lay down new bone. After menopause, the rate of bone removal speeds up, and bone formation doesn't always keep pace. The net result can be bone loss and ultimately the weakened, brittle bones of osteoporosis. Even if you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis, a fracture isn't inevitable. Many drugs available today can slow the rate of bone loss—and can rebuild bone strength. Your doctor will determine whether you have osteoporosis by measuring your bone density—usually at the hip and spine—using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The result, expressed as a number called a T-score, compares your bone density with that of a healthy 30-year-old woman. The doctor will likely recommend medicine if you have a T-score of –2.5 or lower—the definition of osteoporosis a history of hip or vertebral (spinal) fracture caused by a fall while standing (in contrast to a fall from a height) a T-score between –1.0 and –2.5 (called osteopenia) and a high risk of hip or osteoporosis-related fracture in the next 10 years according to a fracture risk calculator. Osteoporosis treatment: Where to start To slow bone breakdown, many doctors first turn to one particular class of drugs. If someone has a very low T-score, doctors typically start with the bisphosphonates. There are several bisphosphonates to choose from, such as: pills, such as alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), or risedronate
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