Key points from today’s guests:

Dr. Jessica Kalendar-Rich, geriatric medicine specialist, The University of Kansas Health System

• It is inevitable that our bones change as we get older, so even for those of us in our 40s and 50s, we really need to be start thinking about ways to help keep our bones as strong as they can.
• Weight training is key for bone health. It’s ideal if people lift weights, even if it is cans of beans, for at least two to four times a week
• As we age, the bone ends up reabsorbing more than it's building so what we lose is some of that supportive infrastructure of the bone.
• Osteopenia is a precursor to osteoporosis. Not everyone will have an identified stage where they'll have osteopenia.
• Genetics can play into osteoporosis and it's really most commonly found in women because it’s more commonly related to hormonal changes.

Dr. Melanie Meister, urogynecologist, The University of Kansas Health System

• There actually is a way to test bone density with a DEXA scan.
• DEXA stands for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, but it's basically a radiologic test. X-ray beams evaluate the spine and the hip to look for bone density.
• The first thing that we talked about as treatment really is making sure that we're doing lifestyle things like incorporating regular physical activity.
• Hormone replacement therapy is used as a treatment for vasomotor symptoms of menopause with the secondary benefit to improving bone health.
• There are several estrogen formulations on the market that are FDA approved for prevention of osteoporosis.
• We don't generally consider hormone replacement therapy to be an intervention only for bone health. It's really indicated for those other symptoms with the added benefit of bone health.

MJ Meister, recently received DEXA scan

• MJ received a DEXA scan and they did find osteopenia.
• Doctors doubled her vitamin D and added a calcium supplement to her diet.
• She had been on a healthy eating plan for many years, but is thinking more about her diet now and including more greens and more vegetables.

Conny Young, recently received DEXA scan

• Conny had been diagnosed with osteopenia in her 50s with a DEXA scan after a hysterectomy.
• A current DEXA scan showed a little bit of deterioration since her last one.
• She met with a trainer and he gave her some really good resistance exercises.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection & prevention control, The University of Kansas Health System

• The hospital is at 24 active COVID infections, which is up from 16 last week.
• This is Antibiotic Awareness Week to promote education and let people understand that for the most part there is a large overuse of oral prescription antibiotics.
• It is very important to have those specific conversations with your physician -- not just go in demanding antibiotics -- but just understanding why we are or are not prescribing because we want to prescribe antibiotics only when you need them.
• There are a lot of cases, especially in the outpatient the ambulatory setting or the clinic setting, when antibiotics are not necessarily needed.
• We are hoping to decrease or stop the fast spread of that antimicrobial resistance.

Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Hear about one patient who went for an elective surgery and her surgeon spotted something concerning inside of her. It was cancer and the treatment included swallowing a radiation pill.

ATTENTION MEDIA: Please note access is with Microsoft Teams:

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 235 659 792 451
Passcode: 6CSfGE

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 913-318-8863,566341546#   United States, Kansas City

TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI

Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital

YouTube.com/kuhospital

Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.