Objectives:
To identify postmenopausal women with risk of osteoporosis through
quantitative ultrasound imaging (QUI) and to value the medical
intervention after the determination of the bone mineral density
(BMD).
Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study developed in a community
pharmacy. During the month of June of 2005 the community pharmacy
enrolled postmenopausal women into the study. Women in treatment
with calcium, vitamin D, hormone replacement therapy, estrogen
receptor modulators, calcitonin or biphosphonates were considered
criteria for exclusion. To all the women that consent to participate,
the pharmacist measured BMD with the device Sahara Hologic Ultrasound
Bone Densitometer at right calcaneus. Following the World Health
Organization, women were classified as osteoporotic if their T-Score
was less than -2.5 and as osteopenic if their T-Score ranged between
-2.5 and -1.0.
Results: Of the 100 women screened, 11 (11%) presented risk of
osteoporosis and 61 (61%) of osteopenia. The 18.5% postmenopausal
women with body mass index lesser than 30 presented risk of osteoporosis
and the 63.0% osteopenia.
Conclusions: The QUI constitutes a useful tool in community pharmacy
for the screening of osteoporosis and it supposes a greater integration
of the community pharmacy within the health care.
