Question

Jane Smith is a 54-year-old elementary school teacher who has recently had a bone density screening test indicating low bone mass. She has a history of COPD and has required treatment with corticosteroids on a number of occasions over the past 10 years. She continues to smoke one pack per day. She is postmenopausal and is not taking hormone replacement therapy. The nurse is providing education to Ms. Smith on osteoporosis prevention

1. Ms. Smith states that she knows she needs adequate amounts of calcium to prevent osteoporosis, so she takes a multivitamin each day. How should the nurse respond?
2. Discuss Ms. Smith’s risk factors for osteoporosis. In addition to calcium supplementation, what measures could she take to reduce her risk?
3. Ms. Smith states that she has seen television commercials for ibandronate and asks if this medication would be of benefit to her. How should the nurse respond?

Answer 1

Ans) The nurse would respond like it's not only multivitamin that will serve the purpose of calcium in diet but also :

Calcium-Rich Food Sources
Food is the best source of calcium. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are high in calcium. Certain green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. Some juices, breakfast foods, soymilk, cereals, snacks, breads and bottled water have added calcium. If you drink soymilk or another liquid that is fortified with calcium, be sure to shake the container well as calcium can settle to the bottom.

A simple way to add calcium to many foods is to add a single tablespoon of nonfat powdered milk, which contains about 50 mg of calcium. It is easy to add a few tablespoons to almost any recipe.

2) Risk factors for Osteoporosis. Age, all women, premature Menopause, family history, smoking, heavy/regular use of alcohol, underweight, poor dietary intake, and sedentary lifestyle or bed-confinemet.

3) Boniva (ibandronate) is a bisphosphonate drug that alters the cycle of bone formation and breakdown in the body used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause. Boniva slows bone loss while increasing bone mass, which may prevent bone fractures.