RIYADH, 2 September — A leading American pharmaceutical company has cautioned against the growing rate of osteoporosis cases among local women. It said the high incidence is mainly due to a lack of exposure to sunlight, deficiency of calcium and vitamin-D, and a sedentary lifestyle.
“Though no accurate data are available on the incidence of osteoporosis among the locals, physicians believe that the prevalence rate is comparatively high,” Stefan Jentzsch and Dr. Essam Abdel Moniem of Eli Lilly and Co. said here yesterday.
They said 80 percent of patients suffering from osteoporosis in Saudi Arabia are reported to be women. According to the Washington-based National Osteoporosis Foundation, “up to half of all women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.”
The most important cause of the disease is estrogen deficiency during postmenopausal period, which leads to the decrease in bone density and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue. This will eventually weaken the bones and make them more prone to fracture.
Asked about the cure for the disease, they said Lilly has launched a new drug for the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. Jentzsch and Dr. Essam said Lilly would participate in the osteoporosis day to be observed next month in the Kingdom.
