I'm sure we've all had the experience that the elderly are particularly prone to fractures when they fall, and many of them even die from complications as their health deteriorates day by day after a fall. There is a strong correlation between the vulnerability of the elderly to fractures and osteoporosis.
About 1 in 5 osteoporosis patients die due to fracture complications
In 2018, data released by the National Health Commission showed that the prevalence of osteoporosis among women over 50 years old in China reached 32.1%, and the prevalence among those over 60 years old was more than half.
Li Jing, Director of the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Beijing Hospital, said that osteoporosis does not usually have obvious symptoms in the early stages, and by the time symptoms such as fractures and bone pains are seen, the condition has often developed very seriously.
After the onset of osteoporosis, it is easy for patients to develop fragility fractures, which can be a serious threat to the health of the elderly and may be caused by a cough or sneeze on a daily basis.
Once a fracture occurs in an older person, it is likely to result in a prolonged period of bed rest, which can lead to complications such as blood clots, infections and pressure sores. This is the reason why older people are prone to die after a fracture, with about one in five patients dying from complications after a fracture.
Even older people who do not pass away may be disabled as a result, leading to a much reduced quality of life afterwards. Many people believe that osteoporosis has to be treated by calcium supplementation and will take large amounts of calcium supplements on a daily basis, does this work?
Is treating osteoporosis the same as taking calcium supplements?
In fact, not all patients with osteoporosis require calcium supplements. Calcium supplements need to be considered in the context of the patient's blood and urine calcium levels and the total calcium intake in the patient's daily diet.
Patients with hypercalcaemia or hypercalciuria should avoid calcium supplements as they are likely to have counterproductive effects.
For more severe calcium deficiencies, other medications may be used when necessary, including calcitonin, bisphosphonates and sclerostin monoclonal antibodies to inhibit bone resorption; active vitamin K2 and parathyroid hormone to promote bone formation; and strontium salts to promote bone resorption and inhibit bone formation.
However, the specific use of medication should be judged and selected by a medical professional according to the specific situation of the patient.
The occurrence of osteoporosis is not inevitable and there are ways to help prevent it from happening.
5 preventive measures that are more effective than calcium supplements
1,Take vitamin D supplements in moderation
Vitamin D can promote the body's absorption of calcium when it enters the body, so it is important to get enough vitamin D on a daily basis.
The sources of vitamin D include food and sunlight, the richer foods include sea fish, animal liver, eggs, etc. It is recommended to choose before 10am or after 3pm for daily sunlight, and to keep the time in the sun at around 30 minutes each time to avoid sunburn.
2,Exercise in moderation to increase bone mass
Exercise is a great help to prevent osteoporosis, in the process of exercise, our bones can be benign stimulation. The growth of bone mass can play a catalytic role, and the loss of bone mass will be slower than normal when we get older. It is important to exercise gradually and according to your ability, and to keep it up over time.
3, Drink less
Many modern young people like to drink beverages, such as coffee, carbonated drinks and strong tea, etc. Drinking large quantities of these beverages for a long time will lead to the body's absorption of calcium being inhibited, which will easily lead to a large loss of bone mass in the body.
4,Stop smoking
A number of studies have shown that smoking can lead to an inhibition of the formation of bone peaks, which can lead to abnormal reductions in bone density. It is recommended that people who have the habit of smoking should quit as soon as possible, no matter when it is not too late to quit smoking, so that the body can obtain greater benefits.
5,Quit drinking
Drinking for liver health is a clear thing, but few people know that drinking will also have a great impact on bone health, alcohol will lead to the loss of calcium, magnesium and other minerals in the bones, for bone metabolism is very unfavorable.
Osteoporosis is a major threat to people's health, so it is important to prevent it as much as possible and not to think that you are still young.
