Late diagnosis of osteoporosis hampers treatment

The president of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, Marco Antonio Rocha Loris, says that the disease affects between 10 and 15 million Brazilians.

Many people live for years with diseases that they do not even know they have. Since symptoms take a long time to appear, diagnosis is made late, which jeopardizes treatment. These are so-called silent diseases, which develop imperceptibly, without making any noise, but when they appear, they can lead to serious complications. An example of this is osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass that affects between 10 million and 15 million Brazilians, according to estimates by the Ministry of Health based on data from the World Health Organization. It mainly affects post-menopausal women, due to decreased levels of the female hormone, estrogen. However, it can cause more serious complications in men, because, in general, they tend to detect the disease later, at a more advanced stage.

“Bone has consistency, density and hardness. Over time, it loses this and becomes brittle,” explained Marco Antonio Rocha Loris, president of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology. “If you suffer from an inflammatory disease – such as rheumatism for example – or another disease such as diabetes or asthma, These bones will lose more calcium and become more fragile. Some medications also reduce bone hardness, such as corticosteroids and anticoagulants. Osteoporosis is the fragility of bones that leads to fracture.

In an interview with the reporter, during the Brazilian Congress of Rheumatology, which continues until Saturday (7) in Goiânia (GO), Loris said that the incidence of osteoporosis in men is usually lower than in women. However, he noted that men can also develop the disease. The aggravating factor is that men, in general, tend to delay seeking treatment.

“Humans, in general, are more resistant [a procurar um médico]. Since adolescence, women seek medical services more than men. But fortunately, this is changing, and society is changing.”

One of the problems with finding a doctor later is the fact that the disease progresses. As a result, treatment may be compromised. “I always make this comparison between a candle and a flame. If it’s just one candle, you put it out quickly. But if that candle starts a flame in the room, it’s more difficult to put out. If the whole house is on fire, it’s more difficult to put out.” [a chama]. This causes more damage. If you have a small joint, it is easier to treat. But if you have two or three joints [com problemas]“It becomes more difficult,” he said. “More parts or organs of the body [comprometidas]He added: The more difficult the treatment.

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For the president of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, this is why it is important to make an early diagnosis. “If a 35-year-old woman has a fracture, she should look for the cause of her fracture, to find out if it was just a fall or trauma or if she has an underlying disease, which may be due to a deficiency due to female hormones or an associated chronic disease.” .

The same applies to men. “If he suffers a fracture before the age of 70, he should see a rheumatologist, endocrinologist, or even an orthopedist to measure bone density. It is also necessary to analyze whether you are taking medications that lead to bone loss, such as corticosteroids or any medications that cause osteoporosis. If he is a smoker or drinks a lot of alcohol on a regular basis, he should also see a doctor beforehand. He explained that if you are not exercising as well, you should see a doctor early.

Loris pointed out that osteoporosis treatment is available to everyone through the Unified Health System (SUS). People can prevent the disease by avoiding cigarette use, maintaining a healthy diet, and practicing physical activity. “Today we have measures not only to treat the disease, but also to prevent it. If you do not treat the disease it will develop. Even sometimes with treatment, the disease can develop, but with less intensity. If it is not treated, it develops much further, leading to Fractures and unpleasant consequences. With information from Agência Brasil