[Prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women]

To know the osteoponia and osteoporosis prevalence in postmenopausal women determined with broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA).

Descriptives cross-sectional study of prevalence.

Salvador Allende Health Center. Valencia, Spain.

A total of 115 postmenopausal women aged 49 at 85 years old was studied, initiated in September to December 2003. Iatrogenic menopause or women with calcium, vitamin D, estrogen replacement therapy, estrogen receptor modulators, and biphosphonates therapy were considered criteria for exclusion. We measured bone mineral density with BUA at right calcaneus.

We analyzed the age, height, and weight, the result of BUA, tobacco and diuretics consumption and years of amenorrhea.

. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 50.4%. Other 29.6% had osteopenia. Of the postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, 27.6% were 70 to 75 years old. The 82.8% of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were younger than 75 years old. The 66.7% postmenopausal women with body mass index lesser than 25 had osteoporosis.

The osteoporosis prevalence in our patients was greater than other studies (30%). Emphasis may be placed on screening osteoporosis with BUA in primary health care. We suggested that educational community programs should start at an earlier age to identify factors that contribute to maintaining bone mineral density among postmenopausal women.