Osteoporosis
Concept/Etiology: Osteoporosis is a bone disorder that causes bones to become
weak and brittle due to progressive loss of calcium in the bone (Story, 2017).
Bones can become so weak making a person prone to fractures which most
commonly occur in the hip, spine or wrist. Osteoporosis normally occurs when
new bone development struggles to keep up with the loss of old bone. In
osteoporosis, spongy bone becomes porous and compact bone begins to thin.
Osteoporosis is more prevalent in Caucasian(or Asian women with women in
elderly years being at a higher risk.
Classification: Osteoporosis is classified as a metabolic bone disorder because of
the abnormal levels of calcium that exist in the bone.
Clinical Manifestations: Signs and symptoms of osteoporosis include lower back or
neck pain, decrease in height up to 6 inches over time, easy fracture from little to
no trauma, osteopenia and kyphosis of the back.
Diagnostic Tests: Some diagnostic tests done to verify osteoporosis include, X-
rays, spinal CT, physical examination history, bone mineral density scans and
serum tests for thyroid hormones, calcium, estrogen and vitamin D.
References
Story, L. (2017). Pathophysiology: A Practical Approach, (3rd(ed).
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781284142983
