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Dr. Kristi Tough DeSapri – Director of the Northwestern Medicine Program for Women’s Bone Health
Northwestern Medicine Program for Women’s Bone Health
259 East Erie Street, Suite 2450, Chicago, IL
312.694.9676
https://sexmedmenopause.nm.org/
Stats from the International Osteoporosis Foundation
- Worldwide, osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 fractures annually, resulting in a fracture every 3 seconds
- Approximately 500 million men and women worldwide may be affected
- One in three women and one in five men aged 50 years and over will sustain a fragility fracture due to osteoporosis
- In women, osteoporosis accounts for more days in the hospital than breast cancer, heart attack, diabetes, and many other diseases
- By 2050, the worldwide incidence of hip fractures in men is projected to increase by 310% and by 240% in women
Osteoporosis is underdiagnosed and undertreated
- Around 80% of patients are still not diagnosed and treated
Early awareness is key
- Ask your doctor for a bone health assessment
- If you’ve broken any bone after a minor fall from standing height, it could be a sign of osteoporosis
- Don’t ignore back pain, height loss and/or a curved back
Osteoporosis can be treated
- Pharmacological treatments have been shown to reduce the risk of hip fractures by up to 40%, vertebral fractures by 30-70% and some treatments reduce the risk for non-vertebral fractures by up to 30-40%
How to help prevent it
- Regular weight-bearing and resistance exercises
- A nutritious bone-healthy diet and adequate vitamin D
- No smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol intake
