Osteoporosis is disease affecting the bones, making them fragile and prone to fracture. Osteoporosis is defined as a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioraton of bone mass tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by mass loss of the normal density of bone.
Osteoporosis mainly affects women, especially after menopause and/or over 50 years old. In most cases no symptoms until the first fracture occurs. Women in age group of 60 to 64 with risk factors for osteoporosis and women over 45 who have broken any bones should also get tested. While women are having four times more likely to develop osteoporosis disease than men, men also suffer from osteoporosis.
Bones and joints fractures are the main consequence of osteoporosis. There are different types of osteoporosis fractures, more or less serious, such as wrist, spine or hip, which can cause pain, inability to lead a normal life and even death, in the case of how to prevent hip fractures in elderly patients. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break or having fracture with comparatively small injury that normally would not cause a bone fracture.
It is advisable to know the factors that increase the risk of osteoporosis before a fracture occurs. It is better to make a record if someone has suffered a previous fracture, have a family that is suffering or has had any fractures, although less than 55 kilos, smoking or drink, have suffered premature menopause, and eating a diet low in calcium and vitamin D.
Like any other degenerative disease, osteoporosis can be prevented and treated. To prevent osteoporosis, experts recommend eating food with abundant containing calcium and vitamin D daily. Healthy lifestyle and regular exercise are know to keep elderly maintain their health in later life. There are some important things among other to prevent osteoporosis such as taking long walks outdoors, avoid sedentary lifestyle, the snuff and alcohol, moderate physical exercise for older people, regular checkups to know the status of bones.
Ensuring an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis is crucial in treating the disease to prevent osteoporosis fractures.
Worldwide, it is estimated two of every three women are treated for osteoporosis have low levels of vitamin D.
An inadequate level of vitamin D may lead to insufficient calcium absorption, causing a decrease in bone mineral density and consequently the occurrence of fractures. Vitamin D, which helps fix the bone calcium, also exerts a positive effect on muscle function, decreasing the risk of falls.
Vitamin D is mainly obtained through exposure to sunlight. However, other factors may affect the body’s ability to produce vitamin D, such as season, clothing, latitude and genetics factor.
Our daily diet, food can also make vitamin D, but it is present in a limited amount of food, so we should take them in huge quantities to achieve an appropriate level. With aging, human skin also loses its ability to synthesize vitamin D through sunlight.
Today, in addition to hygienic-dietary measures, can improve bone mass, reduce fracture risk and improve quality of life of the patient with osteoporosis by the different treatments available. The physician who should determine the specific drug reactions is best for each patient.
