What You Need To Know
Osteoporosis

What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis causes bones to become thinner and more brittle and as a result, bones may break (or fracture).

Osteoporosis can affect any bone however; the spine, wrist and hip are most likely to break. Other consequences of osteoporosis may be a curved back, height loss or back pain. Women may lose 2 to 5% of their bone mass each year during the first 5 to 1O years after menopause.

Who is at risk?
Osteoporosis affects 1 out of 4 women over the age of 50. However, men and younger women may also get osteoporosis. In fact, 1 out of 8 men over the age of 50 are affected by osteoporosis. Women who have completed menopause or had their ovaries removed are at greatest risk for osteoporosis. Other risk factors include:

• Being Caucasian or Asian
• Having a thin body build
• Having a family member with osteoporosis
• Being inactive
• Having a low calcium or vitamin D intake throughout life
• Smoking
• Excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption

Some medications and medical conditions may also increase the risk of osteoporosis.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
Doctors will often measure your bone density to determine if your bones have become too thin. Bone densitometry is a painless technique that is similar to an x-ray. Also ultrasounds, x-rays and blood tests may be used to help determine if a patient has osteoporosis.

Non-drug Therapy Options
Regular physical activity, such as walking, skating, or aerobics can help to prevent osteoporosis. Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Adults over 50 should receive between 1000 and 1500 mg of elemental calcium daily and 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily. Dairy products such as milk are a good source of calcium. Consult with your pharmacist or doctor to determine how much calcium and vitamin D you consume daily from your diet.

Drug Therapy Options
Women who have reached menopause or those who have had their ovaries removed may benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This type of therapy may not be suitable for everyone. Please consult with your doctor or PharmAssist(tm) pharmacist for further information.

For further information, please call The Osteoporosis Society of Canada at 1-800-463-6842. For information in French, please call 1-800-977-1778.

Various other prescription medicines can be used to prevent and treat post-menopausal osteoporosis:

Please consult with your doctor or pharmacist for information about these therapies.

The information in this publication is presented as an educational service. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from your physician.

Your PharmAssist(tm) pharmacist is available to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. To locate the PharmAssist(tm) pharmacist nearest you, please call 1-877-378-4100 or e-mail: pharmacist@pharmassist.ca