Andy, Heres an osteo update (I don't know if the Peck mentioned in the article is related to LGND's new board member):
c The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - You've seen her, maybe you know her: an elderly woman
awkwardly stooped over with an obvious hunchback.
The condition is sometimes called ``dowager's hump'' and is usually caused by
the bones of the spine - the vertebrae - collapsing from advanced
osteoporosis, the disease that causes bones to shrink and become porous and
brittle.
Women, particularly those who have passed menopause, are susceptible to
osteoporosis, though it afflicts some men, too. Despite increasing public
awareness about the disease osteoporosis often remains untreated. Without
intervention, the condition can lead to the telltale hunchback.
A dowager's hump begins when the front sections of a patient's vertebrae
begin to crumble. The collapse compresses the space between the vertebrae and
forces the spine to curve over the weakened sections. The curvature often can
be worsened by fractures that result from the stress of the compression,
causing further collapse.
As the spine curves over, the head and neck also stoop forward. The pressure
of the curve can cause the abdominal cavity to decrease in size and patients
often complain of stomach ailments. Vertebrae fractures, too, can be painful.
But many people with dowager's hump, despite severe deformity, experience no
pain.
A dowager's hump does not happen overnight. It, like the osteoporosis that
causes it, progresses slowly and often silently. Unfortunately, any damage
from osteoporosis, including the hunchback, cannot be reversed.
However, there are ways to slow down or stop the progression of osteoporosis
and increase bone density, even in the condition's late stages. If you've
been diagnosed with osteoporosis, or you already have indications of
dowager's hump, consult your primary care physician or gynecologist.
Treatment choices include estrogen replacement therapy, oral medications
called bisphosphonates, more familiarly known by the brand name Fosomax, and,
for some, a nasal spray called calcitonin, known as Miacalcin.
Exercise, calcium supplements and, in some cases, vitamin D supplements can
play important roles in treatment.
The best strategy for dealing with osteoporosis, however, is a preventive
one. Women at the time of menopause should have a base-line bone density
screening, with screenings following every few years. Weight-bearing
exercises, such as walking and lifting weights, strengthen bones.
Calcium-rich foods are bone-friendly, too, and include: low-fat dairy
products; dark, green leafy vegetables; fish with edible bones, such as
sardines; almonds; and calcium-enriched products.
Post-menopausal women should get 1,800 mg of calcium a day. If you don't get
that amount from your diet, consider taking over-the-counter calcium
supplements.
Estrogen replacement therapy and Fosomax also have roles in the prevention of
osteoporosis for some people. If you smoke, you should quit, and if you're
underweight, you should try to gain weight and maintain it at a healthy
level.
Women who follow all the osteoporosis preventive steps have very little
chance of developing dowager's hump.
Dr. Valerie Peck is clinical associate professor of medicine and co-director
of the bone density unit at NYU School of Medicine.
End advance for Thursday, Sept. 25
AP-NY-09-24-97 2002EDT |
