Male heart attack survivors face an increased risk of bone loss and osteoporosis, later in life. The following is an observation of a study conducted by Jeanette H. Magnus from Tulane University.
It has been known for a long time that osteoporosis and heart disease share similar risk factors such as sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition and smoking. However, the study is the first of its kind to have established a definitive link between reduced mineral density and heart disease.
Men with a positive medical history of heart attack have been found to have a low bone density compared to those who have not developed the same. Furthermore, the association has been found to be significant for only for men.
The extensive study has been conducted on 5,050 men and women, whose age ranged between 50 and 79 years. These individuals had participated in Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1988 and 1994. The researchers suggest the screening of heart attack survivors, more specifically in men to detect the risk of bone density loss.
Currently, men are not being screened for osteoporosis. The present study highlights that efforts have to be made to identify loss of bone density at least in the high-risk group to prevent fractures and disability at a later stage.
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