Focus on Health: Hispanic women at high risk of osteoporosis

05:32 PM CDT on Monday, July 25, 2005

By Dr. Karen Johnson / 11 News

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Many people think of osteoporosis as a disease of elderly Caucasian women. There is another group that is actually at greater risk.

The result of the largest study ever of osteoporosis in women of all ethnic backgrounds was recently published in a leading journal.

They found that Hispanic women have a greater risk of osteoporosis than any other ethnic group, including Caucasians.

Graciela Guajardo, a 49 year old nurse of Hispanic decent has been diagnosed with osteoporosis. "This was a surprise to me. I learned about two years ago," she says.

Guajardo had a bone density scan as part of a routine Well Women exam. It showed she had low bone density and that increases her chances of a fracture later in life.

"It's very important to identify patients who are at risk for these fractures and to be able to put them on the appropriate therapy as early as possible," says Dr. Steven Petak, the President of American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Most patients will have some background that puts them at risk, including simple dietary issues.

You have to make sure the basics are done. A sufficient amount of calcium, sufficient amounts of vitamin D and sufficient amounts of exercise. They're really basic and unfortunately, most patients do not get enough calcium, vitamin D or exercise," Dr. Petak says.

Diet, plus the new medications to build bone mass, are women's best defenses.

The medicines include Actonel, Fosamax, Boniva and Evista. Forteo is a daily shot that builds bone mass.

Graciela has increased her bone density and decreased her risk of fractures.

Although we think of osteoporosis as a post menopausal disease, the best defense against it begins during childhood with adequate amounts of Vitamin D, calcium and exercise.