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Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bone tissues are thinning and over time its density is decreased. This kind of bone illness is one of the most common forms of bone problem in recent times. In fact, researchers estimate that for every 5 women, 1 of them is developing this kind of condition when they reach the age of 50. According to statistics, all women after aging 50 are possible to have fracture on their wrist, hip and vertebra.
Why Osteoporosis Occurs?
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body had failed to form enough new bone. Throughout the time that you are still young, the body uses the minerals in the body such as phosphate and calcium. Both of which are vital in the formation of new bones. That is why; calcium is made a part of the daily diet in the form of milk. Once the body did not receive enough calcium or do not absorb the calcium properly, the bone tissues may suffer.
The bones are possible to brittle, become fragile and are more prone to fractures even without injury. The calcium loss often occurs chronically and gradually over the years or as the person is aging. Most often, before a person knows that he or she is already suffering from osteoporosis, there is an injury occurred already. This is just the beginning of being aware of the real condition.
The Leading Cause
Osteoporosis’s leading cause are the drop on the women’s hormone level, this hormone is the estrogen. It usually happens during the time menopausal stage. For men on the other hand, osteoporosis occurs when there is a drop on the estrogen hormone level. The ages for elders where the disease can possibly occur is between 50 and 70. This is a risky age and one way to avoid it is through drinking milk with high calcium content.
Other Causes:
- When an elder is confined to bed for a longer period of time, calcium deficiency and bone fractures might likely to happen.
- People with chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and eating disorder are also prone to develop bone fractures.
- Furthermore, those who are undergoing medications of corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone and prednisone everyday for more than three months can also cause osteoporosis. In addition, those who are taking anti-seizure drugs can also suffer the same.
- Hyperparathyroidism is also a contributory factor as well as Vitamin D deficiency.
Treatment for Osteoporosis
Treating the disease that hits the bone is not actually complicated. It only needs a person to be medicated with a drug called Teriparatide. This drug is man-made form of a hormone parathyroid. This hormone naturally exists in the body and is responsible in increasing the bone’s density while keeping the bone potent that will keep it resist from fractures. This drug is also given to men and women having high risk of acquiring osteoporosis disease.
This medication might come in the form of injection and is prescribed to treat osteoporosis. Since the condition is normally occurring during the menstrual period, the most critical stage in the life of a person is on the years of seniority.
How Should Medicine be taken?
The medication for osteoporosis comes in a liquid injection form that needs to be injected subcutaneously on the thigh area or on the lower stomach area. The medication comes in prefilled pens with an equivalent dose. The medication is given once a day for 2 years. In order to familiar on how the medicine must be administered, use it everyday at the same time. Follow the label and the directions indicated or ask the doctor to explain the part that found hard to understand. The medication must be properly administered as it is directed. Avoid using more than one dose; just follow what is prescribed to avoid complication and health hazard.
In injecting the drug, the patient can do it by himself or with the aid of a friend or a family member. In addition, the one that will inject the drug should also be knowledgeable on how the drug must be injected. If not, the doctor can help him know what to do. Most of the time, the drug has a User Manual that includes solution to the problems that can possible be encountered.
The entire pack of the Teriparatide injection comes with 28 doses of the drug that is enough for a month of use. Also, it is not advisable to transfer the medication into a syringe. A new needle must be used for every injection. The needles are separately sold and therefore, one must need to buy it too. The type of needle is also different, so better ask the doctor about it. In addition, every after injection, dispose the needle properly in a garbage bag with a label of “injurious waste”. This will avoid harm and injury to the people inside the home.
Precautions
- Before injecting or using the medication, it is important that you had told the doctor if you are allergies to mannitol, teriparatide or on any other drug.
- Also, tell the doctor if you have a history of disease on the parathyroid gland, liver, kidney or heart. This will be a big help in keeping you safe while the treatment is ongoing.
- The drug must only be used after a woman passed menopausal stage, therefore, cannot breastfeed or become pregnant.
- One must also know that the drug injection can cause dizziness, rapid heartbeat, fainting and lightheadedness. These are most common during the first time of using the medication. To avoid dizziness, one must get off to bed slowly and be sure that a chair is nearby whenever you feel dizzy.
- Lastly, ask the doctor on what are the best things to do in order to prevent the condition from worsening. The doctor would probably ask you to stop and avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol and quit smoking. Also, one must follow a regular program of a weight-bearing exercise.
