Osteoporosis in Females

Excerpt

Osteoporosis (translating to 'porous bones' from the Greek words Osteon and Poros) is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) with a propensity for fractures. This condition occurs from microarchitectural alterations of the bone, and apart from fractures, can be associated with impairment in quality of life, disability, morbidity, and mortality. Colloquially referred to as 'the silent disease' or 'silent epidemic', osteoporosis is often not diagnosed until after a fracture has occurred. Osteoporosis is not a new disease, and as historians suggest, it was present thousands of years ago, as evidenced by the collapsed vertebrae of Egyptian mummies during excavations. The groundwork leading to our current understanding of osteoporosis arose from the curiosity of British surgeon Sir Astley Cooper, noting the association between abnormal bones and fractures in 1822.

Around a decade later, the work of French pathologist Jean Lobstein (who coined the term osteoporosis) confirmed the findings of Sir Astley Cooper, noting porous bones. In 1941, the American endocrinologist Fuller Albright noted the association between the weakening of vertebral bodies and fracture risk in patients with loss of ovarian function; he subsequently reported the reversal with the introduction of estrogen, laying the foundation for our understanding of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis in postmenopausal females. Osteoporosis can affect both sexes, but it disproportionately affects more postmenopausal females. The disease is more common in the advanced age group and is expected to increase exponentially with the aging population. Screening and treatment guidelines are established; however, education and awareness are substandard, with frequent underdiagnosis and missed opportunities to implement screening and treatment.