Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease of bone in which bone mineral density is reduced and bone microarchitecture is disrupted. Osteoporotic bones are susceptible to fracture. It is defined according to the bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by DEXA: a BMD of 2.5 standard deviations below the peak bone mass (20-year-old person standard) is considered osteoporosis. While treatment modalities are becoming available, prevention is still the most important way to reduce fracture. Due to its hormonal component, more women suffer from osteoporosis than men.

Signs and symptoms

Clinical picture

Osteoporotic fractures are those that occur under slight amount of stresses that would not normally lead to fractures in nonosteoporotic people. Typical fractures occur in the vertebral column, hip and wrist. Collapse of vertebrae leads to chronic pain and characteristic bent statue, while the fractures of the long bones acutely impair mobility and may require surgery. Hip fracture, in particular, carries a poor prognosis.

Related Topics:
Vertebral column - Hip - Wrist - Pain - Surgery - Prognosis

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While osteoporosis may occur in men, the problem is overwhelmingly one of postmenopausal women.

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Risk factors

Risk factors for osteoporotic fracture can be split between modifiable and non-modifiable:

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• Nonmodifiable: history of fracture as an adult, family history of fracture, female sex, advanced age, European ancestry, and dementia
• Potentially modifiable: tobacco smoking, intake of soft drinks (containing phosphoric acid), low body weight <58 kg (127 lb), estrogen deficiency, early menopause (<45 years) or bilateral oophorectomy, prolonged premenstrual amenorrhea (>1 year), low calcium intake, alcoholism, impaired eyesight despite adequate correction, recurrent falls, inadequate physical activity (i.e. too less but also far too excessive), poor health/frailty.