Elderly people prone to osteoporosis: Dr Prabha

Vijayawada: Osteoporosis could cause great damage if it was not arrested by taking necessary precautions, said noted gynecologist Dr K Prabha Devi, while addressing the health education programme at Vasavya Nursing Home here on Saturday.

Highlights:

• Says changed lifestyle among large number of people has been causing osteoporosis    
•  osteoporosis could make the bones weak making them vulnerable to break easily

The changed lifestyle has been causing osteoporosis among large number of people even at the age of 50 to 60 years, Dr Prabha Devi said adding that osteoporosis could make the bones weak making them vulnerable to break easily.

She said 30 per cent of women and 12 per cent of men are falling prey to this bone disease. “Though it is hereditary, the atmospheric pollution is also causing osteoporosis,” she added.

Osteoporosis is found among people, who hardly have any physical exercise and people with habits like smoking, alcohol and due to poor nourishment, the gynecologist stated. It is found mostly among women after menopause due to hormonal imbalance, she said adding that usage of corticosteroids also causes osteoporosis. Dr Prabha Devi said poor exposure to sunlight may also cause this disease and it was commonly found among people who consume beverages like colas. 

People should do physical exercises regularly and consume healthy food at the age of 20 and 30 years when the bones become very strong. Generally, people would not find any problem with osteoporosis but later suddenly they experience breaking of bones like spinal cord, hip bone and wrist, she said. Dr Prabha Devi said the primary type of osteoporosis occurs after menopause and secondary type occurs due to ill-health.

“Bone mineral density (BMD) test could help identifying the onset of osteoporosis. If the bone density is below 2.5 we could conclude that osteoporosis is on set,” she added. After finding the low density, people could take some precautions to prevent breaking of bones, the gynecologist said.  

Regular physical exercise, regular intake of calcium tablets, Vitamin D and milk, exposure to sunlight and nutritional food would contain onset of osteoporosis, Dr Prabha Devi concluded. Dr Samaram was in the chair. Dr Maru proposed a vote of thanks.