The History of Osteopenia

Osteopenia is a medical condition that is similar to osteoporosis. Osteopenia is the term used to describe bone mineral density (BMD) below average, but not low enough to be considered osteoporosis. The condition was first defined in 1992, and so it is comparatively a very new condition.

Technical Description

• Osteopenia is defined as a BMD T-score between -1.0 and -2.5, and is considered to be one standard deviation below the BMD of a healthy 30-year-old Caucasian woman. A T-score is a measure of bone density. A T-score between +1 and -1 is considered normal. A person with a T-score that is lower than -2.5 has osteoporosis.

Origin of the Term

• Osteopenia was defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in June 1992. WHO created the definition to help indicate the early warning signs of bone loss. It is normal to lose a little bone mass with age, and it is important to remember that not every person who develops osteopenia goes on to develop the more serious condition of osteoporosis.

Causes

• A person with a family history of bone loss is at a higher risk for developing osteopenia. In addition, factors such as diet, weight and race play a role. Aging white or Asian women are at the highest risk. People who have a past history that includes eating disorders, malnutrition, smoking, alcoholism or exposure to radiation or chemotherapy also are at risk.

Diagnosis

• Because the condition is asymptomatic, the condition can easily go undiagnosed. Osteopenia is diagnosed by conducting a BMD test. One method of testing BMD is to measure dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), which is a form of X-ray capable of monitoring bone loss in amounts as small as 2 percent per annum.

Treatment

• Medications like Boniva and Fosamax can help stop bone loss and can even help rebuild a person's BMD. Changes in diet (such as including more vitamin D and calcium), as well as adding moderate exercise, can also help prevent further bone loss.