Osteoporosis: Current Diagnosis and Treatment

Contact: Kevin M. Sanders, writer/editor, (740) 593-0896

ATHENS, Ohio (June 19, 2001) -- Jen-Tzer Gau, M.D., Ph.D., will present "Osteoporosis: Update on its Diagnosis and Treatment" Monday, July 2, from noon to 1 p.m. at O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Room B-9.

Gau, who recently joined the faculty of the Department of Geriatric Medicine/Gerontology at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-COM), staffs the geriatric clinic at Doctors Hospital in Nelsonville and will discuss a typical case of osteoporosis, how to pursue the diagnosis and how to rule out secondary causes. He also will discuss some of the details and rationale for treatment of osteoporosis as well as some new treatments that are in clinical trials.

Health-care professionals are invited to attend the seminar. Brown bags are welcome. For more information, call the Geriatric Education Center at (740) 593-2258.

This seminar is part of OU-COM's summer 2001 continuing education series on geriatric medicine and gerontology. Free seminars are held from noon to 1:00 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Room B-9.

Past seminars in the summer series were "Unfractionated Heparins vs. Low Molecular Weight Heparins in the Treatment of DVT?" and "Geriatric Care Management, a New Tool in the Doctor's Bag."

Ann Rathbun, Ph.D., will present "Ageism" July 16; Cathy Stevens will present "The Role of the Ombudsman Program in Assisting Geriatric Patients" Aug. 6; and Wayne Carlsen, D.O., will present "Heat Related Illness in the Older Adult" Aug. 20.

"The seminars are designed for an interdisciplinary audience," said Ellen Peterson, R.N., OU-COM geriatric education coordinator. "Health professionals from the community regularly attend, in addition to interns, residents and medical students. The diversity of disciplines represented by the participants makes for an interesting exchange of ideas."

The sponsors of the seminars include the Department of Geriatric Medicine/Gerontology, the Western Reserve Geriatric Education Center and Area Health Education Center and OU-COM.

Peterson said the seminar series was started by a federal grant that established OU-COM as a contributing site to the Western Reserve Geriatric Education Center in September 1994 and has supported many continuing education programs. Provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, the grant supports educational programs in geriatrics and gerontology for physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors and health-care providers to 22 Southeastern Ohio counties.