Life
Osteoporosis and the black woman
Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass, which makes bones fragile and easy to fracture. There are no symptoms or pain until fracture occurs.
Black women tend to have higher bone mineral density than white and asian women, but, they are still at risk of developing osteoporosis.
In the United States, about 5% of African American women have osteoporosis compared to about 20% of Caucasian and Asian women. Of those who are diagnosed with this disease, many do not find out they have it until they break a bone.
There are factors that increase the risk of developing osteoporosis:
menopause;
family history of osteoporosis;
having a small and /or thin frame;
excessive alcohol use;
cigarette smoking;
inactive lifestyle.
There also certain medications such as corticosteroids when used long term, anticonvulsants, thyroxine, proton-pump inhibitors, stomach-acid-reducing medication, some diabetes medications, and warfarin (a ‘blood-thinning’ medication) that will increase the risk.
