Osteoarthritis Management With Other Chronic Conditions
OA is a very common disease that affects a lot of individuals; consequently, this is one of the main reasons why research is so important. Arthritis is a leading cause of disability and OA is the most common type of arthritis. Another reason why this is so important is that it takes a long time for OA to develop and because this process may be ongoing for many years before there are any clinical signs or symptoms of joint pain. If we know it is occurring over a long period of time and we have a way of identifying individuals at risk before symptoms present, there may be a chance we can do something about it. As OA is is very common, we need to identify risk factors for it and then act on those risk factors. The other thing that is really important about OA is that it is frequently accompanied by other chronic conditions. Treating OA can sometimes get ignored. This is what the Chronic Osteoarthritis Management Initiative (COAMI), a program under the auspices of the US Bone and Joint Initiative, is about. Individuals who have OA typically have obesity and conditions that occur with obesity; for example, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These conditions will impact how we treat the arthritis. Frequently, the arthritis is the condition that gets ignored.
Q: Why is Research Into OA so Important?
OA is a very common disease that affects a lot of individuals; consequently, this is one of the main reasons why research is so important. Arthritis is a leading cause of disability and OA is the most common type of arthritis. Another reason why this is so important is that it takes a long time for OA to develop and because this process may be ongoing for many years before there are any clinical signs or symptoms of joint pain. If we know it is occurring over a long period of time and we have a way of identifying individuals at risk before symptoms present, there may be a chance we can do something about it. As OA is is very common, we need to identify risk factors for it and then act on those risk factors. The other thing that is really important about OA is that it is frequently accompanied by other chronic conditions. Treating OA can sometimes get ignored. This is what the Chronic Osteoarthritis Management Initiative (COAMI), a program under the auspices of the US Bone and Joint Initiative, is about. Individuals who have OA typically have obesity and conditions that occur with obesity; for example, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These conditions will impact how we treat the arthritis. Frequently, the arthritis is the condition that gets ignored.
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