Understanding
Weakened bones
OSTEOPOROSIS
BREAK EASILY
Osteoporosis is a thinning and weakening of the bones.1
It affects your daily life, and simple activities such as bending
to lift your groceries, playing with children, and even small
accidental bumps may break these weakened bones.
Osteoporosis is common in women after menopause due to
changes in hormone production,1 and can also occur in men
due to aging and/or a low level of the male hormone,
testosterone.
Thin
bone
Healthy
thickness
Narrow
spaces
Large
open
spaces
Early on, osteoporosis usually has no symptoms. If left
untreated, however, it can result in fractures (broken bones).
Although fractures usually
cause pain, fractures
of the bones in the
Cervical
spine may go
vertebrae
unnoticed until they
Clavicle
Scapula
cause height loss.2
Even normal, everyday Humerus
Rib
activities such as
lifting, or minor injuries
that are unlikely to
Lumbar
vertebra
fracture normal bones
Ulna
Pelvis
may cause factures
Radius
if you suffer from
Carpal
bones
osteoporosis.
Do I Have
Lower
spine
Hip
Wrist
Femur
OSTEOPOROSIS?
If you suffer from the following symptoms,
you should speak to your doctor:
Osteoporosis
and You.
Talk To Your
Doctor Today!
•
Pain or tenderness in the bones or muscles
•
Easily fractured bones
•
Lower back or neck pain
(you may have fractures of your spinal bones)
•
Loss of height
•
A stooped or curved posture
How Common Is
OSTEOPOROSIS?
Almost 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men above 50 years old
have osteoporosis.1
About fractures:
•
Usually occur at the hip, spine, or wrist
•
Can lead to great pain and discomfort
•
Can cause considerable deformity and disability
(such as stooped posture and loss of mobility)
Do You Know?
Worldwide, an estimated 9 million osteoporotic fractures
occurred in 2000, 1.6 million of which are hip fractures.
By the year 2050, hip fractures in Asia may increase by
up to 5 times.3
An educational service brought to you by
1
International Osteoporosis Foundation. Osteoporosis and you.
http://www.iofbonehealth.org/download/osteofound/filemanager/publications/pdf/osteoporosis_and_you.pdf
Accessed December 2, 2010.
2
National Osteoporosis Foundation - Fast facts available at http://www.nof.org/node/40
Last accessed December 1, 2010.
3
International Osteoporosis Foundation.
2008 Invest in Your Bones Report - Stand Tall, Speak Out - Take action to promote osteoporosis policy change.
Available at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/publications/stand-tall-speak-out.html
Last accessed December 2, 2010.
4
Kanis JA, Burlet N, Cooper C, et al; European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and
Osteoarthritis (ESCEO). European guidance for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in
postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int. 2008;19:399–428.
5
Koh LKH et al. A Simple Tool to identify Asian Women at Increased Risk of Osteoporosis.
Osteo poros Int (2001) 12:699-705
6
Health Promotion Board, Singapore, Bone Health and Osteoporosis.
Available at http://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthyliving/article.aspx?id=7468Last accessed December 2, 2010.
Copyright © 2010 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA.
All rights reserved.
FSP-2010-SG-4687-PE
What increases your
RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS?
The key factors that increase your risk of osteoporosis are4:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Low BMD (Bone Mineral Density): The lower the
density of your bones, the higher the risk of fracture.
Age 65 years and above: The probability of fracturing
your hip increases up to 4 times between the ages of
65 and 85 years.
Low BMI (Body Mass Index): A low BMI of 20 vs BMI
25 doubles your risk of hip fractures compared to if you
had a higher BMI.
What can I do
Test to discover your
TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS?
There is no cure for osteoporosis, however, there are ways to
prevent it so that you can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle.
If you have had your menopause, or if you are above 50 years
old, you should have yourself checked for osteoporosis.
Introducing OSTA-Osteoporosis Self Assessment Tool for
Asians5 - a quick and easy test that helps to discover your
risk of osteoporosis. OSTA uses easy to obtain information
to assess your risk.
•
However, dietary sources of vitamin D become relatively
more important in elderly people and those living in care
homes, or for people who rarely go outdoors.
•
Good dietary sources of vitamin D include oily fish such
as salmon and mackerel, fortified dairy foods or
margarine, fortified breakfast cereals and egg yolks.1
Measure your weight in kilograms and look at the OSTA
chart to see what your risk is for your present age
Age
Previous fractures from fragile bones: This almost
doubles your risk of future fractures.
For the majority of people, the amount of vitamin D
synthesized in the skin through regular daily exposure to
sunlight is sufficient.
RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS
THIS IS HOW:
Your doctor will tell you if you are at risk of osteoporosis
and advise you on ways to reduce this risk.
•
Vitamin D 3
Weight (kg)
Sun
40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94
40-44
Family history of hip fractures: Having a relative with
a history of fracture—especially hip fracture—increases
your personal risk of osteoporotic fracture.
45-49
Other risk factors: These include cigarette smoking,
glucocorticoid use, frequent alcohol consumption, and
those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
65-69
Metabolized
by the liver
Converted by
the kidney
Sunlight
Produced
in the skin
50-54
Active
vitamin D
55-59
LOW RISK
60-64
Vitamin D3
70-74
MEDIUM RISK
75-79
80-84
85-89
Active vitamin D
What happens if I don’t get
enough vitamin D?
HIGH RISK
90-94
95-99
You can reduce your
RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS
Although osteoporosis cannot be cured, you can help reduce
your risk by:
Weight bearing exercise
Getting recommended amounts of Calcium and Vitamin D
Quitting smoking
Reducing alcohol use
Make these changes to your lifestyle and improve your bone
health today.
OSTEOPOROSIS RISK:
HIGH
MEDIUM
LOW
If your risk is MEDIUM or HIGH, it is important that you seek
further evaluation and/or medical advice from your doctor as
soon as possible.6
An essential nutrient
FOR HEALTHY BONES
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for healthy bones. The main
source is through exposure to sunlight, which makes vitamin D
in our skin.1
1
Too little vitamin D can lead to
inadequate levels of calcium
and phosphate—the minerals
that make bones strong.
Increases calcium
and phosphate
absorption from
the intestines
Promotes healthy
bone formation
and maintenance
Artistic rendition
Even if you are eating a diet rich in calcium or taking a calcium
supplement, your body cannot absorb calcium properly
unless you have enough vitamin D.
• Too little vitamin D may lead to bone loss and osteoporosis
Vitamin D supplements in conjunction with calcium
supplementation can help to reduce these risks and their
consequences.