Are you losing bone? Have osteopenia or osteoporosis? Wonder if your treatment is working? Options. Always helpful to have options.
Although they appear quite solid, bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding in a process called remodeling. When more bone cells are being discarded than are being created, the first condition that occurs is osteopenia, the precursor of osteoporosis. DEXA Scans are very helpful to determine how much bone mass you have the day of the test. However, you wait another year or two until the next DEXA to see the effect of your therapy.
When bones remodel, there are chemical byproducts. One of them is called deoxypyridinoline or Dpd. There is a test to measure this – a simple urine test that most insurance covers. It is called the Pyrilinks D. You can learn right away how fast your bones are breaking down or whether they are building at the right rate to maintain bone mass. This can be repeated in three month intervals to evaluate the therapy you are currently using.
The DEXA plus the Pyrilinks D will give a much more complete clinical picture than just the DEXA alone. Ask your physician if the Pyrilinks D is indicated for you.
Although they appear quite solid, bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding in a process called remodeling. When more bone cells are being discarded than are being created, the first condition that occurs is osteopenia, the precursor of osteoporosis. DEXA Scans are very helpful to determine how much bone mass you have the day of the test. However, you wait another year or two until the next DEXA to see the effect of your therapy.
When bones remodel, there are chemical byproducts. One of them is called deoxypyridinoline or Dpd. There is a test to measure this – a simple urine test that most insurance covers. It is called the Pyrilinks D. You can learn right away how fast your bones are breaking down or whether they are building at the right rate to maintain bone mass. This can be repeated in three month intervals to evaluate the therapy you are currently using.
The DEXA plus the Pyrilinks D will give a much more complete clinical picture than just the DEXA alone. Ask your physician if the Pyrilinks D is indicated for you.
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