Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bone mineral density is significantly reduced. This renders the bone significantly more at risk of fracture.  Typically, osteoporotic fractures occur in the femoral necks, the vertebra, and the wrist.

Although osteoporosis may occur in men, especially elderly men, the typical patients are postmenopausal women. There are a number of risk factors that predispose bones to develop osteoporosis. These factors include poor diet, steroid usage, smoking, and premature ovarian failure.

Treatment

Treatment involves of this disease is removing underlying potentiating factors, such as improving diet and preventing further bone loss with drug treatment, (e.g., vitamin D and calcium supplements; newer treatments include drugs that increase bone mineral density)