What is osteoporosis?
	How prevalent is osteoporosis?
	Is osteoporosis a serious disease?
	What are the risk factors for developing osteoporosis?
	Can men develop osteoporosis?
	Can certain medications put me increased risk for osteoporosis?
	Can other diseases/health conditions put me at increased risk for osteoporosis?
	How can I get more information on osteoporosis?
	What can I do to help prevent osteoporosis?
	Once I stop growing, do my bones continue to change?
	Does menopause affect my bones?
	What is BMD/bone densitometry?
	How does BMD differ from the OSTEOMARK NTx test? Do I need to have both?
	What is NTx?
	Can a NTx test tell me if I have osteoporosis?
	What is bone resorption?
	How can I find my level of bone resorption (breakdown)?
	Do I have to fast the day before sample collection?
	What does the test result mean for me?
	Will my doctor know about the OSTEOMARK NTx test? Or Why didn't my doctor know about the NTx test?
	What is an antiresorptive drug or antiresorptive therapy?
	Can OSTEOMARK NTx tell me if therapy is helping to slow my bone resorption?
	Is OSTEOMARK NTx useful to me even if I'm not on therapy?
	If I am already on an antiresorptive therapy (see above list) and didn't get a NTx result initially, is a follow-up NTx result useful?

	What is osteoporosis?
	According to the NOF, it is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and a consequence increase in fracture risk; bone density 2.5 or more standard deviations below the young normal mean(T-score above -1).
	How prevalent is osteoporosis?
	In the U.S. approximately 10 million people have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and 18 million have been found to have low bone mass. One third to one half of all postmenopausal women over 50 will suffer from a fracture related to osteoporosis.
	Is osteoporosis a serious disease?
	Yes. In the U.S. approximately 1.5 million fractures occur annually as a result if osteoporosis. Of these, 500,000 are vertebral fractures, 275,000 are hip and 200,000 are wrist. About 50,000 deaths occur annually as a result of fracture. In 1995, osteoporosis accounted for 432,000 hospitalizations, 2.5 million physician visits and 180,000 nursing home admissions.
	What are the risk factors for developing osteoporosis?
	ㆍ Being female ㆍ Being postmenopausal ㆍ Advanced age ㆍ Family history of osteoporosis ㆍ Diet low in calcium ㆍ Use of certain medications (steroids, anticonvulsants) ㆍ Inactive lifestyle ㆍ Cigarette smoking ㆍ Excessive alcohol intake
	Can men develop osteoporosis?
	Yes. Many risk factors besides menopause for the development of osteoporosis. For example: small, thin frame, smoking alcohol consumption, steroid use, ect.
	Can certain medications put me increased risk for osteoporosis?
	Please consult your physician in regards to possible side effects of the drugs you are taking.
	Can other diseases/health conditions put me at increased risk for osteoporosis?
	Please consult your doctor to find out what specific diseases or health conditions may put you at increased risk for osteoporosis.
	How can I get more information on osteoporosis?
	You can visit www.obgyn.net , www.menopause.org , www.nof.org
	What can I do to help prevent osteoporosis?
	Regular weight bearing exercise, low to moderate alcohol consumption, elimination of smoking, routine medical checkups and diet and/or supplements with adequate daily calcium.
	Once I stop growing, do my bones continue to change?
	Yes. Bones are made up of living tissue that keeps renewing itself. This process is called bone turnover or remodeling. It has two parts: bone resorption-when bone is broken down and removed, and bone resorption and bone formation are balanced. This is why adequate nutrition including daily calcium intake is important maintaining healthy bones.
	Does menopause affect my bones?
	Yes. During and after menopause, estrogen levels go down and bone resorption (breakdown) levels often go up. For many women this can lead to osteoporosis. Your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or a similar drug that slows down bone resorption (called antiresorptive therapies). Examples of these medications are Premarin ⓡ , Fosamax ⓡ or Avtonel ⓡ .
	What is BMD/bone densitometry?
	This is a technique (using either X-Ray or ultrasound) used to measure bone mineral density (usually at the hip, spine or wrist). This technique is often used to confirm or deny a suspicion of osteoporosis or to predict a risk of fracture. Based on your health and family history, you and your doctor may decide that you should have a bone mineral density measurement. To get a complete picture of your bones, you should also have a NTx test.
	How does BMD differ from the OSTEOMARK NTx test? Do I need to have both?
	NTx tells you your level of bone resorption, a dynamic measurement that can determine the probability for a decrease in BMD if nothing is done to alter the current level of bone breakdown. BMD provides a static measurement of your current bone density by measuring common fracture sites. To get a complete picture of your bone status, you should have both tests. Once your doctor puts you on therapy for your bones, the NTx test can provide the most timely way for you and your doctor to see if the therapy is working.
	What is NTx?
	NTx is molecule that is released during bone breakdown.
	Can a NTx test tell me if I have osteoporosis?
	No. Osteoporosis can only be diagnosed with BMD.
	What is bone resorption?
	This is the process in your body when bone is broken down.
	How can I find my level of bone resorption (breakdown)?
	Your doctor can either order a laboratory test or perform a test in his/her office that will indicate your level of bone resorption This test is called OSTEOMARK NTx. It measures NTx, a molecule released during bone breakdown.
	Do I have to fast the day before sample collection?
	No.
	What does the test result mean for me?
	Your OSTEOMARK NTx test result indicates your level of bone resorption. If you are going through menopause, the OSTEOMARK NTx test result will provide valuable information about your bones, helping you and your doctor make important decisions about therapies that can protect your bones. OSTEOMARK NTx can provide elevated bore breakdown, determine the probability for loss of bone mass without antiresorptive therapy, monitor whether therapy is working in as soon as three month. Studies have shown that the reference mean for urine NTx is 35 for women and 33 for men, while the reference mean for Serum NTx is 12.6 for women and 14.8 for men.
	Will my doctor know about the OSTEOMARK NTx test? Or Why didn’t my doctor know about the NTx test?
	The OSTEOMARK NTx tests are relatively new so your doctor may not have heard of it. Would you like us to send your doctor some information? If so, please send us information by clicking here .
	What is an antiresorptive drug or antiresorptive therapy?
	This is a medication that slows down bone resorption. Examples are HRT/estrogen, Premarin ⓡ , Fosamax ⓡ , Evistal ⓡ and Miacalcin ⓡ .
	Can OSTEOMARK NTx tell me if therapy is helping to slow my bone resorption?
	Yes. Your NTx level should go down as soon as three months of starting antiresorptive therapy. Drug that slow down bone resorption can help prevent and/or treat osteoporosis by lowering the level of bone resorption. OSTEOMARK NTx can be used to slow your response to therapy.
	Is OSTEOMARK NTx useful to me even if I'm not on therapy?
	Yes. Your doctor can use the test to indicate your ongoing level of the bone resorption.
	If I am already on an antiresorptive therapy (see above list) and didn't get a NTx result initially, is a follow-up NTx result useful?
	Yes. The NTx result can show your current level of bone resorption and provide your doctor with information to assess whether your therapy is working.