Statin Study To Address Important Women's Health Issue.(use of statins for osteoporosis prevention)

2001 DEC 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Millions at risk - the U.S. National Institute on Aging reports that approximately 28 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis, the majority of whom are women.

An additional 10 million individuals have low bone mass, placing them at risk for this disorder. Women with osteoporosis may also have a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease. Both osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women.

Osteoporosis is a chronic, progressive condition characterized by the deterioration of bone tissue that results in low bone mass. As the condition progresses, there is an increase in bone fragility that multiplies the susceptibility to serious fractures, most commonly of the wrist, spine, and hip. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million bone fractures each year.

Women can lose up to 25% of their bone mass in the first five years after menopause and one out of two women over the age of 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related bone fracture in her lifetime. The National Osteoporosis Foundation states that results of several new studies on cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) show significant reduction in the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures, and ...