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More Info
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What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease, often with no detectable symptoms, that
affects between 15 to 25 million people in the United States. Often the
first sign of Osteoporosis is a bone fracture in the hip or wrist. Bone
is always breaking down and rebuilding as part of the natural cycle, but
when Osteoporosis strikes, this process is thrown out of balance. Bones
can become brittle, many times resulting in debilitating fractures. This
condition is especially common in postmenopausal women, and the lack of
estrogen is believed to be the cause. Treatment often includes Hormone
Replacement Therapy (HRT), bisphosphonate or calcitonin. Fortunately,
postmenopausal osteoporosis in preventable.
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What do I need to know?
There is new hope for managing Osteoporosis. A laboratory blood test,
Ostase, can accurately measure how well bone is responding to hormone
replacement therapy. The test measures the amount of a specific bone
alkaline phosphotase (BAP) in the blood. This gives doctors a clear
indication of whether the therapy is successful in reducing bone loss.
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Why Use Ostase?
Ostase, a biochemical marker of bone turnover, has been demonstrated
effective in managing postmenopausal women on osteoporotic therapy.
Ostase provides physicians and patients with a timely means of assessing
therapy compliance and efficacy, whereas the traditional bone mineral
density measurements require a minimum of one to two years to detect
changes in bone. In addition, the blood-based Ostase test provides
convenience and reliability, with a simple blood sample collection
rather than a more variable urine test.
Currently, a bone mineral density test is required to diagnose
Osteoporosis. If a diagnosis is confirmed, therapy begins. At this
point, the physician and patient can choose how progress will be
monitored. With Ostase as the follow-up test, the success of therapy
can be documented after only six months. Bone mineral density
tests, on the other hand, require a minimum of twelve to twenty-four
months on therapy to detect changes in bone. With Ostase, you can
see accurate, measurable results in less than half the time required of
bone mineral density testing. Wouldn't you rather have the assurance of
knowing, early on, that your therapy is working?
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Ask for it by name. Ostase, from Beckman Coulter
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