SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL(OSTA)

If you are a post-menopausal women, click on this chart to find out your risk of osteoporosis.

1. Key Data - Worldwide
   
   • Approximately 200 million women worldwide suffer from osteoporosis
     
   • In Europe and the United States, it is estimated that one third of all women over 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point of their lives.
   • Approximately 1.7 million hip fractures annually are attributed to osteoporosis.
     
   • A woman's risk of hip fracture is equivalent to her combined risk of developing breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
     

2. Key Data - Singapore
   Proportion of population over the age of 65 is projected to increase approximately 3-fold from 6% to 19% from the period of 1990 to 2030.
   • In the 3 decades since the 1960s, the number of osteoporotic hip fractures in Singapore has increased 5-fold to 403 cases per 100,000 population in women over the age of 50.
     
   • Number of osteoporotic hip fractures in women over the age of 50 is 8-fold more than the number of breast cancer cases.
     
   • 402 cases of osteoporotic hip fractures vs 53 cases of breast cancer in terms of 100,000 population.
     

Osteoporosis can be treated. There are now effective medicine that can increase your bone density and reduce your risk of fractures.

1. Calcium and Vitamin D
   
   • Almost everyone taking medicine for osteoporosis is given calcium for vitamin D supplements. This is to make sure that the body has enough of these substances to allow the specific osteoporosis medicines to work as well as they can. However calcium alone is not an effective treatment for osteoporosis.
     

2. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
   
   • Latest large scale clinical study* has concluded that there are risks with the long term use of combined HRT. Women whose sole indication for using HRT is the prevention of osteporosis should be aware that there are currently many non-HRT alternatives (like bisphosphonates and SERMS) which may be effective both in the prevention as well as the treatment of osteoporosis.
     

3. Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMS)
   
   • These medication are especially useful for treating and preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, by countering the effect of reduced estrogen levels in causing bone loss. SERMS has been shown to reduce the incidences of spine fractures. The most common side effect of SERMS is menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. They should not be used in women who have a high risk of blood clotting diseases.
     

4. Bisphosphonates
   
   • Bisphosphonates are especially useful for treating and preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. They work for repairing weakened bone and hence increase bone mass and bone strength. As a result, incidences of fractures at both spine and hip are reduced. Some Bisphosphonates can be used to treat and prevent osteoporosis caused by certain medications. In addition, there is now a bisphosphonate that can be used for the treatment of osteoporosis in men.
     
   • For added convenience, bisphosphonates now comes in a once-weekly tablet i.e. you only have to take it once a week.
     
   • The main side effect of some bisphosphonates in oesophagitis which can present itself as symptoms of heartburn, This can be avoided by remaining seated or standing for about half an hour after taking the medicine.
     

Note: The above information is only a guide to the wide variety of treatment available for people with osteoporosis. Please consult your doctor to discuss which will be the most suitable one for you.