Osteopenia
| Osteopenia | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Low bone mass, low bone density |
| Specialty | Rheumatology, Endocrinology |
| Symptoms | Usually asymptomatic |
| Complications | Development into Osteoporosis |
| Risk factors | Old age, European or Asian ethnicity, alcoholism, smoking, low body mass index |
| Diagnostic method | Bone density scan |
| Prevention | Adequate Vitamin D and calcium, regular weight bearing exercise, avoiding excessive alcohol and smoking |
| Treatment | Usually unmerited |
| Medication | Usually unmerited |
Osteopenia, also called low bone mass or low bone density, is a condition in which bone density is low. Because their bones are weaker, people with osteopenia may have a higher risk of fractures, and some people may go on to develop the more serious condition of osteoporosis. In 2010, 43 million older adults in the US had osteopenia. Unlike osteoporosis, osteopenia usually does not cause noticeable symptoms because losing bone density itself does not cause pain.
There is no single cause of osteopenia, although there are several risk factors, including modifiable (behavioral, including dietary and use of certain drugs) and non-modifiable (for instance, loss of bone mass with age). For people with risk factors, measuring bone density using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can help to measure the development and progression of low bone density.
Prevention of low bone density can begin early in life by eating a healthful diet, doing weight-bearing exercise, minimizing alcoholic beverages, and not smoking tobacco.
The treatment of osteopenia is controversial. Non-pharmaceutical treatment tries to preserve existing bone mass using the above-described healthful behaviors. Pharmaceutical treatment for osteopenia, such as bisphosphonates and other medications, may be considered in certain cases, but that is not without risks. Treatment decisions should be guided by considering the patient's risk factors for fractures.