Osteoporosis (cont.)
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Catherine Burt Driver, MD
Catherine Burt Driver, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Driver is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. She currently is in active practice in the field of rheumatology in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she is a partner in Mission Internal Medical Group.
In this Article
- Osteoporosis facts
- What is osteoporosis?
- What are osteoporosis symptoms and signs?
- What are the consequences of osteoporosis?
- Why is osteoporosis an important public health issue?
- What factors determine bone strength?
- What are osteoporosis risk factors and causes?
- How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
- Who should have bone density testing?
- What is the treatment for osteoporosis, and can osteoporosis be prevented?
- Exercise, quitting cigarettes, and curtailing alcohol
- Calcium supplements
- Vitamin D
- Hormone therapy (hormone replacement therapy, menopausal replacement therapy)
- Medications that prevent bone loss and breakdown
- Choosing an osteoporosis medication
- Prevention of osteoporosis caused by long-term corticosteroids
- Monitoring osteoporosis therapy medication
- Prevention of hip fractures in elderly people with osteoporosis
- What are complications of osteoporosis?
- What is the prognosis (outlook) for patients with osteoporosis?
- Osteoporosis FAQs
- Find a local Internist in your town
What is the prognosis (outlook) for patients with osteoporosis?
The outlook for patients with osteoporosis depends greatly on where fractures occur. Additionally, if treatment is begun when the bone disease is detected early, the outcome is better.
Hip fractures are a particularly dangerous consequence of osteoporosis in the elderly. Approximately 20% of those who experience a hip fracture will die in the year following the fracture. Only one-third of hip-fracture patients regain their pre-fracture level of function. One-third of hip-fracture patients are discharged to a nursing home within the year after fracture.
Newer medications, medications with different methods of delivery, and research into the optimal management of osteoporosis will bring even better options for care for patients with osteoporosis in the future.
REFERENCES:
Gehlbach, S.H., R.T. Burge, E. Puleo, J. Klar.
Osteoporosis International. 14.1 Jan. 2003: 53-60.
Harris, W.H., and R.P. Heaney.
New England Journal of Medicine. 280.6 Feb. 6, 1969: 303-11.
JAMA. 285.6 Feb. 14, 2001: 785-95.
Lindsay, R., S.L. Silverman, C. Cooper, D.A. Hanley, I. Barton, S.B. Broy, A. Licata,
L. Benhamou, P. Geusens, K. Flowers, H. Stracke, E. Seeman. JAMA. 285.3
Jan. 17, 2001: 320-3.
Marottoli,
R.A., L.F. Berkman, L. Leo-Summers, L.M. Cooney Jr. American Journal of Public
Health. 84.11 Nov. 1994: 1807-12.
National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
National Osteoporosis
Foundation. Ray, N.F., J.K. Chan, M. Thamer, L.J. Melton. Journal of Bone Mineral
Research. 12.1 Jan. 1997: 24-35.
Previous contributing author: Carolyn Janet Crandall,
MD, MS, FACP
Previous contributing editor: Dennis Lee, MD
Patient Comments
Viewers share their comments
- •
- Submit »
- •
- Submit »
- •
- Submit »
- •
- Submit »
http://www.medicinenet.com/osteoporosis/article.htm
Healthy Bones
Get tips and advances in treatment.
Updated & New
