Osteoporosis Is The Most Common Chronic

Osteoporosis, meaning porous bone from the Greek language, is bone disease that gradually and steadily wears down bone tissue and its living cells. This wearing down will eventually cause the cells of bone tissue to degrade and die, leaving their “scaffolding” to be the only things only bone together. Without living cells to take up a home in this scaffolding, minor injuries such as falls, bumping into objects, and pressure that would normally be completely and would not pose any threat to bone tissue suddenly becomes a real hazard that can easily pose a threat to one’s well-being. Osteoporosis affects a person skeletal system.

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

Osteoporosis, also known as porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue which leads to bone fragility and an increased risks of the hip, spine, and wrist. Both men and women are affected by this (although it affects women more) but it can be prevented and treated. In the United States, more than 40 million people either already have osteoporosis or at a high risk because of low bone mass.

Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease of the bones generally brought on by the process of aging, unfortunately there can also be a number of underlying or secondary causes; however, preventative care and drug treatments can minimize the severity of this prevalent disease. Osteoporosis has been estimated to affect more than 200 million people worldwide (Bethel, 2015). According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 9.9 million Americans have osteoporosis and an additional 43.1 million have low bone density.

mass due to loss of calcium and protein in the bones. A patient with osteoporosis has

Osteoporosis is a progressive silent disease that affects the quality of the bone, due to the decrease in bone mineral density , the bone becomes more porous and fragile, and the risk of fracture will increase , osteoporosis has no signs or symptoms , and people may not know that they have the disease until their bone becomes so weak that a sudden strain, fall will causes a bone to break, , the fractures that related to the osteoporosis cause pain, Disability, reduce mobility, long-term disability and reduced quality of life . The recovery from these fractures is slow, rehabilitation is often incomplete and patients nearly have to hospitalize or even have to home nursing. the most common sites of osteoporotic fracture are Hip, spine, distal forearm, and proximal humerus .

According to Osteoporosis (2011) “United States has the highest rate in the world in cases of osteoporosis. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) estimates that 10 million people (8 million women and 2 million men) in the United States have osteoporosis as of 2012” (Page 10).

Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which bones become brittle and fragile as a result of tissue loss. Causes of osteoporosis include hormonal changes, deficiency of vitamin D, and, most commonly, deficiency of calcium. Bones affected by osteoporosis are easily fractured, and such fracturing most often occurs in the hip, wrist, or spine. Under normal circumstances, bone tissue is constantly being broken down and subsequently replaced by the human body; however, osteoporosis prevents the creation of new bone. As a result, a net loss of bone tissue occurs since no new tissue is available to replace the old tissue. With age, bone mass loss increases faster than does bone mass creation. There is currently no known cure for the disease. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is referred to as the decrease in bone density and mass over time. The interior bones become progressively weaker and can cause a stooped posture. This makes the individual more susceptible to bone fractures. Osteopenia regards a condition where the bone material density is considered lower than normal. This is usually a precursor to the musculoskeletal disorder, known as osteoporosis. The term ‘osteoporosis’ means ‘porous bones’. In this case, bone is a living tissue that is continuously being broken down and replaced. Thus, osteoporosis happens when the creation of bone does not keep up with the removal of the old bone. In this disorder, the bones are diminished and deteriorated in structure. This condition is typically prevalent in older women due to an estrogen deficiency with menopause. The lack of estrogen increases bone resorption and decreases bone deposition. In addition, osteoporosis can occur with atrophy, which is caused by disuse. Additionally, osteoporosis can occur in men due to the aging process as well as patients who have received corticosteroids, which are hormones used to treat inflammatory conditions.

Osteoporosis is an age-related disease of the skeletal system characterized by both low bone mass and bone structural degeneration (Nunes, 2011). Understanding osteoporosis is important because it is continues to be overlooked and undertreated, causing high numbers of bone fractures each year –in the elderly, these bone fractures can be debilitating or even life threatening (Eastell, 2009). Osteoporosis manifests when an imbalance between bone resorption and bone rebuilding occurs – this is due to changes in osteoclast and osteoblast activity. I chose this topic because osteoporosis affects millions of people, and research will allow me to better understand this common yet complex, and very perilous bone disease.

Bones are structured to provide strength, protection, and movement. In addition the structure allows the bones to serve as a reservoir for several minerals including calcium because calcium can quickly move between the bone and the blood.

Osteoporosis is the most common progressive bone disease that decreases bone density. Osteoporosis is characterized by an increased risk for bone fracture and this presents in the form of brittle and fragile bones (Bethel & Diamond, 2016). The bone loss occurs because of increase bone reabsorption which leads to decreased bone mass and deterioration (Bethel & Diamond, 2016). In addition, impaired bone function can also lead to osteoporosis. The diagnosis of osteoporosis often happens after the injury has occurred.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, “About 54 million Americans have osteoporosis and low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. Studies suggest that approximately one in two women and up to one in four men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis.” The bone disorder may be common, but there are many risk factors for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis usually happens with elders, especially in postmenopausal women. According to Human Anatomy and

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a disease that disproportionately affects postmenopausal women. It is an important disease for public health to address as it greatly contributes to frailty and risk of injury, largely due to fractures, and the associated burdens on the health care system. Literally translating to “porous bones”, osteoporosis occurs when bones lose their density, and the inner bone matrix becomes much more brittle (Figure 1).1,2 Health adult bones are in a constantly dynamic state, with living cells that multiply to grow and repair bones as we age. Bones structurally consist of a hard, calcified outer layer, and an inner matrix made of collagen and non-collagen proteins.3 Healthy bone mass, and the structure of this inner matrix, is maintained through processes called resorption and remodeling.1 Resorption occurs as some cells dissolve bone matrix for the body to reabsorb and reuse the minerals, and remodeling occurs simultaneously as other cells deposit new bone matrix proteins to replace the dissolved minerals. Each remodeling activity is associated with a slight net loss in bone mass, and as such, healthy adults achieve peak bone density in their early 20s, and bone density gradually declines thereafter.1,4

"Osteoporosis." Jennifer F. Wilson, MS., Tish Davidson, AM., and Rebecca J. Frey, PhD. The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 6