Osteoporosis : A Psychological And Financial Toll On Families

There are a plethora of health issues that contribute to bone loss, such as nutrition (low calcium consumption) and rarely engaging in exercise, people who have an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking or extreme alcohol usage are also at risk. “Bone loss in adolescence and early adulthood can be a result of a failure to attain peak bone mineral density, and accelerated bone loss may be particularly noted around menopause and in later years” (Lin, 2014, para. 1). Though the exact cause is unknown, additional sources may include latent health disorders such as thyroid problems.

As generally stated in the introduction, osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder that involves the strength and integrity of one’s bones. The WHO defines osteoporosis as, “a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low-bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue, increased bone fragility, and its susceptibly to recurrent fractures.” 2 The most important factor to take into account when addressing osteoporosis is the mass of bone, also referred to as, bone mineral density (BMD). As bone mass begins to decline, typically in the older population, specifically postmenopausal women, individuals are at an increased risk for fractures.3 As a result of this serious condition, many people are affected by morbidity, mortality, and economic difficulty.1

There are two types of osteoporosis that have been identified which are primary and secondary. Osteoporotic bones are thin and brittle and are prone to fracture. The bone loss involves both compact and spongy bone. In type I osteoporosis, which occurs typically in postmenopausal women, spongy bone loss predominates, occurring most prominently in the vertebrae and distal radius (Gueldner, Burke, Smiciknas-Wright, 2000). Major complications of type I osteoporosis are crush fractures of the vertebral bodies and the distal end of the radius. Type II, or old-age, osteoporosis is characterized by a proportional loss of compact and spongy bone of the long bones (Gueldner, Burke, Smiciknis-Wright). The most serious fractures of old age are those of

• Vitamin D deficiency[9] - low circulating Vitamin D is common among the elderly worldwide.[10] Mild vitamin D insufficiency is associated with increased Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) production. [10] PTH increases bone reabsorption, leading to bone loss. A positive association exists between serum 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol levels and bone mineral density, while PTH is negatively associated with bone mineral density.[10]

Osteoporosis is caused by bones losing their density. This is because the process turnover where the bones are renewed and repaired, as you age this process slows down making the bones lose density and leads to the bones becoming weaker and more

Other risk factors include too much or too little of a certain hormone in their body can lead to a higher risk for osteoporosis. One of the massive risk factor for developing osteoporosis is the

Osteoporosis is a disease in the bones that usually start for women after menopause. Osteoporosis is a disorder in the skeletal that is characterized by low bone density and the deterioration of bony tissue. According to the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published in 2009 states that osteoporosis happens when bone density has been reduced. Osteoporosis lies on fractures that occur in our lives and the most common fractures associated with osteoporosis occur in our distal forearms, hip bones, wrists and most importantly it occurs in the vertebrae discs, which result in a major health problem. According to the Postgraduate Medical Journal published in 2003 it states that the deterioration of bony tissue results in an increase in fracture risk. It also states that by the age 85, white women have a 3% annual incidence of hip

According to Judith (2010), Osteoporosis is a loss of the reabsorption in the bones by way of calcium, plasma, and phosphate. Estrogen production helps bones metabolism by stimulating osteoblastic activity and limiting osteoclastic effects of the parathyroid hormone. It develops when the new formation of bones fall behind in the reabsorption process (Judith, 2010). In simpler terms, it’s a loss of bone mass due to a metabolic bone disorder affected by the rate of bone resorption advances while the rate of the bone formation reduces. According to Judith (2010), the bones end up losing calcium, phosphates and end up brittle making them prone to fractures and further complications (P . 236).

There are two types of risk factors that increases the likelihood of developing osteoporosis. The first type is fixed risks and the second type is modifiable risks. Some of the fixed risk factors are age, female gender and body size, family history, ethnicity, and Menopause/hysterectomy. A few modifiable risk factors are poor nutrition, vitamin D deficiency, insufficient exercise, low dietary calcium intake. Age is one leading factors in the development of this disease because bones become thinner as the body ages. Approximately one in two women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis (www.nof.org.). The female gender is another risk factor for developing this disease. Women are more likely to develop this because women tend to have smaller and thinner bones than men (Lane, 2006).

Currently in my family my mother and my grandmother both have osteoporosis. “Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones” ("Osteoporosis", 2012). Osteoporosis can cause bones to break very easily. All it takes is the slightest accident and you can end up with a fracture or a complete break. The spine, hips, ribs and wrists are the most common bones broken because of this disorder. All of these most often are a result in a fall, but can happen at any point during a slight trauma. Currently there is about 55% of the population over the age of 50 that have osteoporosis or osteopenia. ("Osteoporosis", 2012) “One in two Caucasian women will

Background: Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease and is characterized by low bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue and disruption of bone architecture, compromised bone strength, and an increase in the risk of bone fracture. The World health organization (WHO) defines osteoporosis as having a bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip or the lumbar spine of less than or equal to 2.5 standard deviations below the mean BMD of a young-adult reference population. Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III), NOF has estimated that more than 9.9 million Americans have osteoporosis and an additional 43.1 million have low bone density.2 About one out of every two Caucasian women will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in her lifetime, as will approximately one in five men.

Fragility fracture is occasionally the first presentation of osteoporosis. The incidence of osteoporosis-related fractures has been reported to increase with age and over 50% of the incidents occurring in menopausal women aged > 75 years. Vertebral column and hip are the most common site of fracture contributing to a significant morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Additionally, patients with an episode of fracture has a higher chance for future fracture.

I have enjoyed reading your post, Sarah. I found your comments on osteoporosis informative and educational. As you have stated, osteoporosis can lead to bone fracture. This condition is common among older women. However, it can affect both genders as people age. Osteoporosis may also be linked other diseases and cancers. Osteoporosis may be silent. The individual may not know that he or she have it until they experience a fracture. Prevention is the best way to reduce the risk of developing Osteoporosis. Calcium is very important to healthy bones. Vitamin d intake is essential for calcium absorption. Therefore, adequate calcium and vitamin d intake are essential for healthy bones. Exercise is also important for bone health. It is important

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, or makes too little bone. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or other stress to the bones. In more serious cases, a simple sneeze or cough can cause a bone to break. Osteoporosis is the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly, (Eastell, 2014). The majority of osteoporosis cases affect women over 50 years old, and studies suggest that one in two women will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is structural deterioration in bone tissue and lack of bone mass. There are several factors that can lead up to this disease, most of which are under our control. Porous bone is most common in people that smoke or drink excessively, or don’t get enough exercise. Getting enough vitamin D and calcium in your diet is important as well. However, a certain demographic of people are more susceptible to structural deterioration than others. The people most likely to develop osteoporosis are older White or Asian women, and often have a small body size. This disease also runs in families. If a relative develops osteoporosis, or breaks a bone, it is probable that you will too. If you do develop the disease, several treatment options are available to you.