Osteoporosis May Have Significant Complications

Osteoporosis represents a global health issue. Over the age of fifty, one in two women and one in every five men has an osteoporotic fracture during his or her lifetime. Deaths relating to the aftereffects of osteoporotic fractures outnumber all deaths from cancer cases of uterus, cervix, and ovaries combine.

There are two critical times in life that have been shown apply to the formation of osteoporosis. One is failing to achieve adequate bone mass during adolescence. The other is when a high rate of bone loss occurs during menopause or advancing age. Along with the uncontrollable factor of age is the lifestyle choices such as smoking, nutrition, exercise, and medications such as steroids which can result in bone density losses.

The definition of osteoporosis was established back in 1994 by the World Health Organization. Bone mineral density measurements are compared to what is known as “young normals” in the female population. If a person’s bone mineral density falls within 1 to 2 standard deviations of these “young normal” the condition is referred to as osteopenia. If it is over 2.5 standard deviations below the norm, it is referred to as osteoporosis.

Based on the 2000 Census, over 50 million American men and women suffer from either osteopenia or osteoporosis. Over 1.5 million fractures from osteoporosis occur in the US each year. Half of those occur in the spine, twenty percent at the hip, and 30% at the wrist. There is a decade differential with regards to the types of fractures seen. People in their 50’s most commonly sustain wrist fractures. Once individuals reach their 60’s, the spine is the most common location, and in the 70’s the hip becomes the most common site. Amazingly, the death rate after a hip fracture is 20% in the first year afterwards. Over half of male patients with hip fractures do not regain their walking status within one year after sustaining a hip fracture, and unfortunately less than half ever recover their pre-fracture ability to perform activities of daily living such as eating, grooming, dressing, or bathing.

In spine fractures of the vertebra, occurence at multiple levels can produce a spinal curvature along with height loss. The rib cage may shift down and abut against the iliac crest. Organs can get compressed, and eventually a protuberance may become seen in the abdomen. Back pain, abdominal fullness, height loss, and inhibited breathing may be evident. The resulting kyphosis can lead to shallow respirations, which may make future anesthesia risky. Chronic lung disease may present itself.

Considering the substantial complications from hip and spine osteoporotic fractures, the best treatment method is actually to prevent their occurrence in the first place.

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