Osteoporosis

It's called the "silent disease" because it commonly occurs without symptoms. Osteoporosis (porous bone) is the loss of bone mass and the structural deterioration of bone tissue. Similar to termites eating away a piece of wood, this disease can be unseen while it eats away at bone density. Over time it silently leaves the skeleton weaker and bones more brittle. In fact, the first symptom some people experience is a fracture, often from a seemingly minor fall, bump or strain.

Osteoporosis is a serious health concern for seniors. The disease affects more than 28 million Americans, with females over 50 years of age being the most susceptible. Women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in the 5-7 years following menopause. Age and other risk factors can then compound the problem.

• 10 million Americans have osteoporosis.
• 8 million are women.
• 2 million are men.
• 18 million more have low bone mass, which increases their risk for osteoporosis.
• 80% of those affected are women.
• 50% of women over 50 years of age will suffer from a fracture related to osteoporosis during their lifetime.
• 13% of men over 50 years of age will suffer from a fracture related to osteoporosis during their lifetime.
• 1.5 million fractures per year are caused by osteoporosis. (Includes 700,000 vertebral, 300,000 hip and 250,000 wrist fractures.)
• $13.8 billion was the direct (estimated) cost for related fractures in 1995.