Essay On Osteoporosis

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Osteoporosis is silent because there are no symptoms (what you feel). It may come to your attention only after you break a bone. When you have this condition, a fracture can occur even after a minor injury, such as a fall. The most common fractures occur at the spine, wrist and hip. Spine and hip fractures, in particular, may lead to chronic (long-term) pain and disability, and even death. The main goal of treating osteoporosis is to prevent such fractures in the first place. (American College of Rheumatology)

Osteoporosis is defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength that predisposes to increased risk of fracture (NIH Consensus Development Panel on Osteoporosis Prevention, Diagnosis, and Therapy, March, 2000), this is as a result of the bone being fragile and weak, therefore, they break their spine, wrist or hip when they fall.

The strength and rigidity of a bone has a lot to do with bone density and bone quality. Bone quality, which cannot be easily or physically measured in clinical setting, depends on …show more content…

The physician can have a major effect on fracture prevention and patient’s quality of life through appropriate screening, diagnosis, and treatment of patients at risk for fracture. The assessment of fracture risk should be the main focus of a patient evaluation, by incorporating epidemiologically derived risk-assessment tools with bone densitometry such as FRAX. Risk stratification of a patient can then be followed by treatment with an ever-widening array of effective bone-sparing therapies. Although well-established therapies are available, novel therapies are under development with increasing focus on anabolic agents to enhance bone strength. The efficacy, safety, and tolerability of newer bone-sparing agents, or combinations of agents, may further enhance the clinical armamentarium of osteoporosis

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