1. Osteoporosis Slideshow Pictures
2. Super Foods for Your Bones Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Osteoporosis Quiz

Medical Author:

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Driver is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. She currently is in active practice in the field of rheumatology in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she is a partner in Mission Internal Medical Group.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is osteopenia?
• What causes osteopenia?
• What are osteopenia symptoms and signs?
• How widespread is osteopenia?
• Why is osteopenia important?
• When should I see my doctor for osteopenia?
• How is osteopenia diagnosed?
• Who should be tested for osteopenia?
• What is the treatment for osteopenia?
• What follow-up is needed after treatment of osteopenia has been initiated?
• Can osteopenia be prevented?
• Osteopenia At A Glance
• Patient Comments: Osteopenia - Causes
• Patient Comments: Osteopenia - Signs and Symptoms
• Find a local Doctor in your town
• Osteopenia Index

Not everyone needs to be tested for a decreased bone mineral density (osteopenia or osteoporosis). Your doctor can determine if you should be tested. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends the following groups of people be tested for osteopenia or osteoporosis:

• Women 65 years and older and men 70 years and older



• Postmenopausal women and men 50-69 years of age at increased risk for osteoporosis



• Adults who have a bone fracture after age 50



• Adults with a medical condition associated with bone loss (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or who take a medication which can cause bone loss (such as prednisone or other steroids)



• Anyone being considered for prescription treatment for osteopenia or osteoporosis



• Anyone being treated for osteoporosis to monitor treatment

People with osteopenia should make certain important lifestyle modifications and ensure that their dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D are adequate. Not everyone with osteopenia requires treatment with prescription bone-building medication. This is because while 34 million people have osteopenia, and therefore the condition accounts for a large number of bone fractures, the absolute risk for fracture in any individual is low. So, if bone-building medications were prescribed to everyone with osteopenia, that would result in a large number of people who may never even have had a bone fracture taking medication for many years, exposing them to unnecessary expense and potential side effects.

If you have osteopenia, your doctor can determine if you need treatment with prescription medication. The decision to treat is made on a case-by-case basis, depending on each individual. Factors other than bone mineral density can increase the risk of fracture, and these risk factors can be used to determine if a certain individual requires treatment for osteopenia. These include a parent who fractured their hip, previous or current treatment with corticosteroids (such as prednisone), thin and small-framed individuals, rheumatoid arthritis, smoking, and drinking more than two alcoholic beverages daily. Your doctor may use this information to calculate your risk of a bone fracture in the next 10 years. This risk can then be used to determine if treatment is necessary.

The diagnosis of osteopenia can be an eye-opening wake-up call to make certain lifestyle changes. Lifestyle modifications are an important part of the prevention and treatment of osteopenia and osteoporosis. These lifestyle changes include weight-bearing exercise (for example, walking or lifting weights), quitting smoking, not drinking excessively, and ensuring an adequate daily intake of calcium and vitamin D. If dietary intake is not adequate, then supplements may be prescribed. The Institute of Medicine released the following guidelines on calcium and vitamin D intake on Nov. 30, 2010:

Vitamin D

• 800 IU (international units) daily for women over the age of 71



• 600 IU daily for women in other age groups, men, and children



• 400 IU daily for infants under 12 months of age

Calcium

• 1,200 mg (milligrams) daily for adult women over the age of 50 and men 71 years and older



• 1,000 mg daily for younger adult women (who are not breastfeeding or lactating) and adult men.

The following prescription medications are treatment options for osteopenia and osteoporosis:

• Bisphosphonates (including alendronate [Fosamax], risedronate [Actonel], ibandronate [Boniva], and zoledronic acid [Reclast])



• Calcitonin (Miacalcin, Fortical, Calcimar)



• Teriparatide (Forteo)



• Denosumab (Prolia)



• Hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and progesterone



• Raloxifene (Evista)

Alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel), zoledronic acid (Reclast), and raloxifene (Evista) have an indication from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of osteoporosis, as well as for the treatment of osteoporosis. For raloxifene (Evista) and risedronate (Actonel), the doses used for osteopenia are the same as those used for osteoporosis. Zoledronic acid (Reclast) is an intravenous medication given yearly for the treatment of osteoporosis but every other year for the prevention of osteoporosis. Alendronate (Fosamax) is given as 10 mg daily or 70 mg weekly for osteoporosis, and the dose is halved for the prevention of osteoporosis (5 mg daily or 35 mg weekly).