Osteoporosis Awareness: new guidelines focus on men at risk

Although women are routinely screened for osteoporosis starting at around age 50, physicians typically do not worry about the bone health of their male patients. They should.

One in six men will have osteoporosis by age 65 and the vast majority will go undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated--until their bones are so brittle that they may break during everyday activites. By that time, it's usually too late to get much benefit from bone-preserving therapies that can slow bone loss and prevent injury and disability.  Consider this: men who break a hip are twice as likely to die within one year.

New guidelines released this month by the American College of Physicians call for osteoporosis screening for men, beginning at age 65 or earlier, if men are at increased risk. Things that increase risk include:

• taking anti-androgenic drugs (used to treat prostate cancer)
• low body weight
• physical inactivity
• smoking
• low calcium and vitamin D status

May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month: Are you doing enough to protect yourself from osteoporosis?