Identify Fracture Risk – Prevent Fractures

Tomorrow I am at the 2014 National Osteoporosis Foundation meeting.  Actually the name “National Prevent Fractures Organization” would better explain our goals.  We don’t care about Osteoporosis as much as...

So, There Is Nothing You Can Do For Me

Recently a patient finished her half hour visit by saying, “so there is nothing you can do for me”.  We had discussed Low Bone Mineral Density (BMD) on her DXA;...

DXA Alone Misses Most Fracture Victims

If you screen by DXA alone you fail to identify most of the individuals who will fracture.  Over 80% of fracture patients over age 50 have “osteopenia” or “normal” as their Bone...

Fracture Risk!!!!!!!! Not DXA Alone

This week a patient was delighted to know she had no bone worries – based on her t-score of -2.4 in her hips.  Unfortunately she was very wrong!  “Osteopenia” is just...

CMP is Complete Metabolic Profile – Part 4

Fracture Risk is much more than Bone Mineral Density (BMD) or t-score.  Many medical conditions cause osteoporosis and fractures.  Blood tests can detect those medical problems.  This is the post on...

Mom Had Osteoporosis – Do I Have It Too?

If your Mom had Osteoporosis, you are also at risk for osteoporosis and fractures.  If a parent had a broken hip, you are at increased risk of fracture.  Choosing your...

VFA Adds Acuracy to DXA Testing

Vertebral Fracture Assessment (VFA) identifies many persons with Clinical Osteoporosis who are missed by DXA testing alone.  How many?  I reviewed my first 941 patients to have VFA with their...

VFA – An Additional Standard

The vertebrae (bones in the spine) can gradually crumble or suddenly crunch.  The resulting minor ache is often mistaken for arthritis or a pulled muscle.  Gradual crumbles are “morphometric” (detected by x-ray)...

Chronic Pain

This week I spoke to doctors and nurses who run Pain Clinics.  The obvious connection is Vertebral Fractures requiring Kyphoplasty or Vertebroplasty.  If you only do the procedure, you have...

Bone Not “Good Enough” = Anabolic Forteo

Bone that has Fractured = Bone NOT Good Enough = Bone which requires the Anabolic, Forteo.  Any fracture, especially vertebral compression fracture, can mean that the bone is NOT Good...