Osteoporosis Primary eMedicine PMR

Description: Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to bone fracture.
Bone tissue undergoes constant remodeling. Under the physiologic conditions, bone formation and resorption are in a fair balance. After the third decade of life, bone resorption exceeds bone formation and leads to osteopenia and, in severe situations, osteoporosis. Women lose 30-40% of their cortical bone and 50% of their trabecular bone over their lifetime, as opposed to men who lose 15-20% of their cortical bone and 25-30% of trabecular bone.
Synonyms and related keywords: osteoporosis, metabolic bone disorder, metabolic bone disease, bone mass, bone density, osteopenia
Srinivas R Nalamachu, MD & Shireesha Nalamasu, MD 2006