SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey conducted by the not-for-profit National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) found that a majority of women feel they are not at risk for a spinal fracture, when in fact, nearly half of all women over the age of 50 in the U.S. will experience a spinal fracture in their lifetime. The survey was made possible by Kyphon Inc. , a manufacturer of minimally invasive technologies used to repair osteoporotic fractures of the spine. The survey results are released in conjunction with the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s World Osteoporosis Day, October 20, 2005.
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“Osteoporosis is an under-appreciated, underdiagnosed condition often referred to as a silent disease,” explained Richard Mott, president and chief executive officer of Kyphon. “Many Americans do not realize that osteoporosis causes over 700,000 spinal fractures in the U.S. each year, with two-thirds of these going undiagnosed. Kyphon is committed to educating patients and healthcare practitioners about spinal fracture through continuing medical education, community health fairs, women’s health initiatives and Web-based programs.”
Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that causes bones to become brittle, weak and susceptible to fracture. As a woman grows older, her risk of osteoporosis increases because bones tend to thin and weaken with age. Although women over the age of 50, especially postmenopausal women, are at greatest risk for developing osteoporosis, men are also at risk.
Unfortunately, a broken bone is often the first sign of osteoporosis. Fractures occur most frequently in the spine, followed by fractures of the hip and wrist. In severe cases, a slight bump, or even coughing or sneezing, can cause the bones of the spine to fracture, which can result in debilitating pain. In cases of multiple spinal fractures, a loss of height and stooped posture -- known as kyphosis -- can occur, which can make simple tasks like lifting a bag of groceries or getting dressed difficult. Left untreated, kyphosis can lead to decreased respiratory function and mobility, contributing to an increased risk of early mortality.
“The survey established a good news/bad news scenario for bone health,” stated Amy Niles, president and chief executive officer of the NWHRC. “Although we found that osteoporosis is part of the conversation that women are having with their physicians, a large gap remains in understanding how bone loss can affect one’s life, especially when it comes to spinal fractures. This underscores the importance of cooperative efforts like the NWHRC and Kyphon have developed to educate women about their risk for spinal fractures,” Ms. Niles continued.
Supplemental calcium with Vitamin D and prescription medications are often used to slow down bone loss and treat the underlying osteoporosis. Medical management, however, does not always prevent fracture. “Women are waiting until it is too late to make the connection between bone loss and spinal fractures,” Ms. Niles said. “Despite advances in drug therapy, spinal fractures continue to occur. The good news is, medical management is not the only treatment option.” A minimally invasive procedure called Balloon Kyphoplasty can treat the fracture, reduce pain, restore quality of life, and in cases of multiple fracture, repair the associated deformity.
Even though the majority of women in the survey said they exercise regularly (72 percent) and take calcium (75 percent) to prevent bone loss, few seem to understand or fear the consequences of not having healthy bones. For instance, while nearly half of women (46 percent) are having conversations with their physicians about osteoporosis and bone loss, only about one-third (37 percent) of women correctly responded that osteoporosis or bone loss was the primary cause of spinal fractures. Furthermore, while one in two women are at risk for spinal fracture, only one in four (26 percent) surveyed believe they are at risk.
The NWHRC has developed an online tool kit that contains brief articles about spinal fractures and bone health, a quiz to help women determine whether or not they may be at risk for a spinal fracture, tips to keep bones healthy and additional resources. This tool kit can be accessed by visiting www.healthywomen.org.
The results of this survey are based on a random-digit-dial survey of 1,000 women between the ages of 45 and 70 years old. The survey was conducted between May 17-25, 2005, with a margin of error of +/-3.1 percent. The survey and campaign materials were made possible through an unrestricted educational grant by Kyphon.
About Kyphon Inc.
Kyphon develops and markets medical devices designed to restore spinal function using minimally invasive technologies. The company’s products are used in Balloon Kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure to treat spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis or cancer. For more information, visit Kyphon’s Web site at www.kyphon.com.
About the National Women’s Health Resource Center
The National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) is the leading independent health information source for women. The non-profit organization develops and distributes up-to-date and objective women’s health information based on the latest advances in medical research and practice. NWHRC believes all women should have access to the most trusted and reliable health information. For more information, visit www.healthywomen.org.
For additional downloadable images, visit http://www.kyphon.com/media_images.cfm . Related Links International Osteoporosis Foundation National Osteoporosis Foundation NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Disease~National Resource Center Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education Related Documents Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General
Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/kyphon/22731Kyphon Inc.
CONTACT: Julie D. Tracy, Vice President, investor relations and corporatemarketing of Kyphon, +1-408-548-6500, or jtracy@kyphon.com
