About Osteoporosis
What causes osteoporosis?
Your bones are alive and changing–in a continual process of renewal as existing bone is constantly replaced with new bone. This renewal process is your bones' natural repair cycle. First, existing bone tissue is broken down and removed by bone-resorbing cells, leaving tiny pits behind. Then, bone-forming cells lay down new bone tissue to fill in these pits.
However, as we age, the breaking down of bone tissue may begin to outpace the creation of new bone. Over time, this may make bones thinner, potentially putting you at greater risk for a fracture.
Osteoporosis worsens over time
Osteoporosis is a serious disease in which bones become so weak they can break from just a sudden bump or a fall from standing height. Because osteoporosis is often a "silent" disease with few warning signs or symptoms, you may not even know you have osteoporosis until you break a bone or a test reveals you have low bone mineral density.
Common signs of fracture include:
- Height loss
- Curvature of the spine
- Acute back pain
However, some fractures can occur without your even noticing them. One vulnerable area is your spine; other possible fracture areas are your hips and wrists. Even though you may not feel it, your osteoporosis may be progressing.
That is why it is important to treat your osteoporosis.
There are osteoporosis medications available that can help slow or stop bone loss. But since you are at high risk for fracture, your physician wants you to rebuild bone, and only FORTEO® (teriparatide [rDNA origin] injection) does that. Additionally, FORTEO can reduce your risk of fracture in as little as 19 months.
Please see the Boxed Warning, Important Safety Information and Medication Guide.
Do you know your T-score?
- Your doctor may request a bone mineral density (BMD) test. The result of the BMD test is your T-score, a common measure of bone health.
- A T-score of -1 or above is considered normal. A number between -1 and -2.5 indicates low bone mass. T-scores of -2.5 or lower are diagnostic of osteoporosis.
- Patients with a score of -2.5 or below who have also had a fracture already have severe osteoporosis.
Consult your physician for more information about a BMD test and your T-score.