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Have you been diagnosed with osteoporosis?

As people age, they become more likely to develop osteoporosis, a disease that occurs when bones lose density and mass, which can cause them to be brittle, weak and easily broken.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare Retiree Solutions, answers questions about osteoporosis and shares information about a test that can help diagnose osteoporosis or determine if you might be at risk.

How common is osteoporosis?

An estimated 54 million Americans have osteoporosis or low bone mass (an increased risk for osteoporosis), according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). Studies suggest that approximately half of women and a quarter of men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis. It is responsible for 2 million broken bones and 75,000 deaths every year.

Osteoporotic bone breaks most often occur in the hip, spine or wrist, but other bones can break too. Beyond significant, often permanent pain, these fractures can have many other consequences, including frailty and limited mobility, complications related to the broken bone or the surgery to repair it, and the necessity of long-term care.

How is it diagnosed?


Should I get tested?

The NOF recommends BMD tests for women age 65 or older and men age 70 or older. Osteoporosis is more common in women than men, and more common after menopause, so women should begin talking to their doctor about osteoporosis before menopause. Anyone with several risk factors - controllable and uncontrollable - should also discuss it at a younger age than the general guidelines.

Consider asking your doctor if you should complete a bone density test to determine how healthy your bones are. If you're a UnitedHealthcare member, you might get a call offering an osteoporosis screening that wouldn't require a prescription from your doctor.

What do the test results mean?


How often should you be tested?

BMD testing frequency depends on factors including age, past bone density results and whether you are taking an osteoporosis treatment. Discuss your needs with your health care provider.

Does Medicare cover these tests?


What else should I know?



#bones #healthyaging #brokenhip #osteoporosis

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