| Osteoporosis
in Men
Osteoporosis, a disease that causes the skeleton to weaken and
bones to break, is a significant threat to more than two million
men in the United States today. Experts estimate that one-fifth
to one-third of all hip fractures occur in men and that symptomatic
vertebral (spine) fractures occur about half as often in men as
in women. After age 50, six percent of all men will suffer a hip
fracture as a result of osteoporosis. In 1994, osteoporotic fractures
in men accounted for annual costs of $2.7 billion, or one-fifth
of the total cost of osteoporotic fractures in the U.S.
Osteoporosis
Overview
Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low
bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to
bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the
hip, spine, and wrist. Men as well as women suffer from osteoporosis,
a disease that can be prevented and treated.
Medications
to Treat Osteoporosis
Therapeutic Medications. Currently, estrogen, calcitonin, alendronate,
raloxifene, and risedronate are approved by the U. S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Estrogen, alendronate, risedronate, and raloxifene are approved
for the prevention of the disease. Alendronate is approved for the
treatment of osteoporosis in men. Alendronate and risedronate are
approved for use by men and women with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
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