The World Health Organization (WHO) defines osteoporosis as a bone mineral density (BMD) T-score of less than -2.5 as measured by dual-emission x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). It is estimated that 30% of women and 12% of men suffer from this condition at some point in their lifetime. The highest risk factor is age, with the disease increasingly common in the elderly. According to a study conducted in 20l4, osteoporosis was detected in 10.3% of non-institutionalized adults aged 50 years or above (1). Hip and clinical vertebral fractures are the most common consequences of osteoporosis. Drug treatment is associated with a significant reduction in risk for subsequent clinical fractures among postmenopausal women with existing vertebral fractures or osteoporosis and adults aged 50 years or older with recent hip fracture.
This article is intended for medical professionals.
Dr Reshma Ramracheya
Diabetes UK RD Lawrence Research Fellow
Senior Research Fellow at Wolfson College
Investigator at Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism
University of Oxford, UK
Reshma.ramracheya@ocdem.ox.ac.uk
Tel: 59111128
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