Some postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are more likely to break a bone than others. Various risk factors may increase this likelihood. When talking to your healthcare provider, it's important to know the risk factors that may increase your chance for breaking a bone. According to the World Health Organization, below are the risk factors for breaking a bone due to osteoporosis. • Lower bone mineral density • Previous broken bones (fracture) • Parent history of broken hip bone • Current smoking • Use of certain medicines • Having rheumatoid arthritis • Excessive use of alcohol   (3 or more drinks a day)     If you have postmenopausal osteoporosis, it's important to talk with your healthcare provider about your bone strength on an ongoing basis. Below are important bone health questions you can take with you to your next visit with your healthcare provider. They can help make your osteoporosis discussion easy and productive. My General Bone Health   • What should I be doing to manage my osteoporosis?   • How can I know if my bones are getting stronger? Fracture Risk   • Am I at risk for breaking a bone?   • How can I help prevent breaking a bone? Bone Density Tests   • When should I have my next bone density test?   • Does my bone density test show improvement? If not, what should I do? Osteoporosis Medication   • Do I need a prescription medication?   • What should I expect from my medicine?   • How can I know if my medicine is working?   • What should I do if I miss a dose of medicine? Nutrition & Exercise   • How can I make sure I am getting enough calcium and vitamin D?   • What kind of exercises should I be doing?     Take Your Bone Health Seriously Are you doing everything you can to make your bone health a priority? It's May which means it is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. This month the Know My Bones Council urges women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to make bone health a priority since broken bones due to osteoporosis are more common in women than breast cancer, heart attacks and strokes combined. Despite the importance of bone health, many women with postmenopausal osteoporosis are not doing everything they can to keep their bones strong, such as, following bone-healthy diet, exercise and treatment plans. This is why it is so important for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to take action. You can start by talking openly with your healthcare provider about your bone health. Together, women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and their healthcare providers can discuss a plan that will actually work, including diet, exercise, and medicine if appropriate. Throughout this newsletter, you'll find helpful questions you can ask your health care provider and risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing fractures. What's Your Plan for Bone Health? Do you follow all the advice from your healthcare provider? Do you tell your healthcare provider if you are taking your medicine differently than prescribed? Have you missed doses or all together stopped taking your medicine? A recently published study of 412 physicians shows that only about half of women with osteoporosis are following their treatment plan, but their doctors don't know it. This study showed doctors thought that nearly seventy percent (69 percent) of their patients were taking their medication as prescribed; however, according to pharmacy claims data, only about half (49 percent) of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis were adhering to their medication. Similarly, various studies suggest that 50 percent of patients have poor adherence to treatment after only one year and an analysis of data spanning 14 years, found that adherence with osteoporosis therapy is poor with many patients stopping therapy soon after they start. These startling facts can have significant consequences. In fact, one in two women over the age of 50 will experience a broken bone due to osteoporosis in her remaining lifetime. Broken bones due to osteoporosis may often lead to pain, disability and sometimes loss of independence. While we can picture the important role other organs like the heart and brain play in the body, we don't realize how important our bones are. But they too are a living organ, working every day to store important minerals, protect our vital organs, provide shape and form to our body, and allow movement. Despite the importance of bone health, many women with postmenopausal osteoporosis are not doing everything they can to keep their bones strong, such as following a bone-healthy diet, exercise and treatment plan. This is why it is so important for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to take action. They can start by talking openly with their healthcare provider about their bone health. Together, women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and their healthcare providers can discuss a plan that will actually work, including diet, exercise, and medicine, if appropriate. Improved communication between patients and healthcare providers may lead to improved management of a patient's osteoporosis. Below are a few helpful questions to ask your healthcare provider that may help both of you better understand your fracture risk.     Am I at risk for broken bones/fracture?     How can I help prevent a broken bone/fracture?     How can I make sure I'm getting enough calcium and vitamin D?     What kind of exercises should I be doing?     What should I expect from my medicine? How can I know if my medicine is working?     Does my bone density test show improvement? If not, what should I do?     If you have postmenopausal osteoporosis, you may want to seek additional information about the disease and your specific osteoporosis management plan. The specifics of your plan may be different from other women's and may change over time. For more questions to take with you to your next appointment with your healthcare provider, visit KnowMyBones.com or call (800) 917-1248, where you'll also find general information on strong bones, tips for eating smart and steps to help stay active and independent.         LEARN MORE The Know My Bones educational program can help, so sign up today at KnowMyBones.com to receive: • Calcium rich recipes • Helpful lifestyle tips • Information to help manage postmenopausal osteoporosis

Study Finds Many Postmenopausal Women Unaware of Their Actual Risk for Fracture

Many women with postmenopausal osteoporosis underestimate their risk for fracture. Are you one of them? Broken bones due to osteoporosis are more common in women than breast cancer, heart attacks and strokes combined. So why are so many women not taking their risk of fracture seriously? Recent research published in Osteoporosis International found that among more than 12,000 postmenopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis, only 43 percent thought their risk of fracture was higher than other women their age.   "We've found that many women aren't making the connection between their risk factors and the serious consequences of fractures," said researcher Ethel Siris, M.D., director of the Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center of the Columbia University Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "Without a clear understanding of their risks, women cannot begin to protect themselves from fracture." This is why it is so important for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to take action. You can start by talking openly with your healthcare provider about your bone health. Together, you and your healthcare provider can work toward preventing fractures.