Osteoporosis is an affliction in which bone density is lost, weakening bones and making them more susceptible to fractures. Women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, largely because their production of estrogen -- a hormone that protects against bone loss -- declines as they age. But, like women, men naturally lose bone mass as they age, due in part to decreasing testosterone levels.
At UVa's Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Clinic, we use state-of-the-art, full-body scans to test bone density. The clinic is designed for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, as well as complex metabolic bone diseases and mineral deficiencies related to organ transplants, cancer and cancer treatment -- all which may also cause reductions in bone mineral density.
Once the team diagnoses a patient's condition, it can provide integrated management of bone health -- whether the patient needs orthopaedic care, rehabilitation medicine, physical therapy, transplantation or oncology care. In addition, UVa often conducts clinical trials for bone metabolism, and the team can direct patients toward trials appropriate to their needs.
We are currently conducting a clinical trial to study the effect of an investigational medication on bone and breast density in healthy, post-menopausal women. See HIC #04-11019.
View a list of doctors at UVa who specialize in treating osteoporosis.
