Demetech

Millions of fractures can be prevented

It is estimated that every year about 70 million women are affected by osteoporosis in Europe, Japan and the USA. In its earlier phases, osteoporosis is not dramatic, but it often leads to fractures with considerable suffering and major expense for individuals and society.

In Europe and the USA, osteoporosis is the cause of over 2.3 million fractures a year, involving costs of over €25 billion. In the EU alone, osteoporosis patients account for some 500,000 hospital days each year, a figure that will probably double during the next 50 years.

With the right treatment, osteoporotic fractures can be prevented, partly through improved diet and more exercise, but mainly through appropriate medication. The most important prerequisite for successful treatment is early, reliable and cost-effective diagnosis. This is now possible with DXL Calscan.

Osteoporosis:

* Is a skeletal disease that systematically breaks down bone mineral content.

* Can start to develop as early as in the age of 30.

* Develops mostly in women (small percentage in men).

* Is becoming one of the largest healthcare problems worldwide.

* Is defined by quantitative determination of bone mineral density (BMD), as measured by bone densitometry.

* Is defined in fewer than half of osteoporosis patients in the EU and the USA.

Undiagnosed osteoporosis causes:

* Unnecessarily high hospital costs and strain for everyone involved - both individuals and the community.

* Unnecessary human suffering - it can be cured.