Free Essays on Osteoporosis

Essay on Osteoporosis The topic I have chosen is Osteoporosis, a condition of increased skeletal fragility. Clinically Osteoporosis is ordinarily explained in relation to the bone density. In after growth the strength of the bone depends on two factors – the peak firmness of bone gained in early stages of life and later age related and hormone weakness related bone loss. In the event of calcium deficiency state (decreased dietary intake, malabsorption or increased loss) calcium requirements are met by skeletal calcium release leading to a negative calcium balance. Over a prolonged period of time this may lead to Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease of brittle bones. Loss of bone mineral (calcium) leads to weakening of the skeleton, fragility and bony fractures. In Osteoporosis the bone condition is characterized by a decrease in mass, resulting in bones that are more easily fractured than normal bones. The most common fractures are that of the wrist, spine, and hip. Nonetheless, all bones can be affected. Both men and women are at risk of developing Osteoporosis. Men tend to develop Osteoporosis later in life. White females are the most at risk, but other risk factors include low calcium intake; insufficient physical activity; certain drugs, such as corticosteroids, and a family history of the disease. Primary Osteoporosis is the most common form of the disease. Postmenopausal, or oestrogen-deficient, Osteoporosis (Type 1), which is observed in women whose ovaries have ceased to produce the hormone Oestrogen; age-related Osteoporosis (Type 2), which affects those over the age of 70; and Idiopathic Osteoporosis, a rare disorder of unknown cause that affects premenopausal women and men who are middle aged or younger. Secondary Osteoporosis may be caused by bone disuse as a result of paralysis or other conditions, including weightlessness in space; endocrine and nutritional disorders, including anorexia nerv... Free Essays on Osteoporosis Free Essays on Osteoporosis Essay on Osteoporosis The topic I have chosen is Osteoporosis, a condition of increased skeletal fragility. Clinically Osteoporosis is ordinarily explained in relation to the bone density. In after growth the strength of the bone depends on two factors – the peak firmness of bone gained in early stages of life and later age related and hormone weakness related bone loss. In the event of calcium deficiency state (decreased dietary intake, malabsorption or increased loss) calcium requirements are met by skeletal calcium release leading to a negative calcium balance. Over a prolonged period of time this may lead to Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease of brittle bones. Loss of bone mineral (calcium) leads to weakening of the skeleton, fragility and bony fractures. In Osteoporosis the bone condition is characterized by a decrease in mass, resulting in bones that are more easily fractured than normal bones. The most common fractures are that of the wrist, spine, and hip. Nonetheless, all bones can be affected. Both men and women are at risk of developing Osteoporosis. Men tend to develop Osteoporosis later in life. White females are the most at risk, but other risk factors include low calcium intake; insufficient physical activity; certain drugs, such as corticosteroids, and a family history of the disease. Primary Osteoporosis is the most common form of the disease. Postmenopausal, or oestrogen-deficient, Osteoporosis (Type 1), which is observed in women whose ovaries have ceased to produce the hormone Oestrogen; age-related Osteoporosis (Type 2), which affects those over the age of 70; and Idiopathic Osteoporosis, a rare disorder of unknown cause that affects premenopausal women and men who are middle aged or younger. Secondary Osteoporosis may be caused by bone disuse as a result of paralysis or other conditions, including weightlessness in space; endocrine and nutritional disorders, including anorexia nerv... Free Essays on Osteoporosis Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to fragile bones and an increased chance of fracturing the hip, spine and wrist bones. Osteoporosis affects not only woman but men also. One out of every two women and one in four men over fifty will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Forty-four million Americans suffer from osteoporosis; sixty-eight percent of that number are women. A couple risk factors that you cannot change concerning osteoporosis are gender, age, body size, ethnicity, and family history. Your chances of developing osteoporosis are greater if you are a woman. Women have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly than men because of the changes involved in menopause. Age, the older you are, the greater the risk of osteoporosis. Your bones become less dense and weaker as you age. Body size, small, thin-boned women are at greater risk. Ethnicity, Caucasian and Asian women are at highest risk. African American and Latino women have a lower but significant risk. Family history, susceptibility to fracture may be in part, hereditary. People whose parents have a history of fractures also seem to have reduced bone mass and may be at risk for fractures. Some different risk factors that you can change to help decrease the possibilities of osteoporosis are sex hormones, anorexia, a lifetime diet low in calcium and vitamin D, use of certain medications, inactive lifestyle or extended bed rest, cigarette smoking, excessive use of alcohol are all risks you can prevent. Vitamin D and calcium are two main vitamins needed to keep your bones strong. Without each other, ones bones weaken. Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium. Without enough Vitamin D, we can not form enough of the hormonal calcitriol, which helps the calcium be absorbed. You can get Vitamin D from either your daily... Free Essays on Osteoporosis Osteoporosis The meaning of the word Osteoporosis is literally â€Å"porous bones.† This is explained as a disease in which proteins and minerals, especially calcium, are lost in excessive amounts. This results in the loss of bone mass, which leads to the breaking and fracturing of the bone(s). In order to understand Osteoporosis, you have to know about the stages of the bones (Boughton, 2116). Bone is living tissue in the body that has a two-staged process in order to constantly renew itself. The first stage of the bone process is called formation. The nutrients in the bloodstream build up new bone tissue. The second stage, called resorption, is where bone cells are broken down and then returned to the blood. Since Osteoporosis is a non-infectious disease, meaning that it is not a pathogen, it is the continuation or acceleration of the natural bone processes. There are two types of Osteoporosis that are both damaging to the bones. The first type of Osteoporosis is called Primary Osteoporosis. In this case, it occurs by the acceleration of the body’s normal aging process. The other type of the disease is called Secondary Osteoporosis. Other disease processes and certain medications are the causes of this type (Boughton, 2117). The process of Primary Osteoporosis occurs when resorption and formation becomes unbalanced. This is when bone is continually being removed, but no new bone is formed in place of it. This makes the bones weaker and smaller. Secondary Osteoporosis, on the other hand, has the same result as Primary, but occurs differently. Secondary Osteoporosis is when drugs and other diseases aid in increasing the rate of the resorption process (Boyden, 559). Although Osteoporosis is caused when the resorption rate is much greater than the formation processes, there are many factors that aid in developing the disease. Some of these influential factors include age, gender, diet, lifestyle, and figure ... Free Essays on Osteoporosis Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which bones become thinner and more porous. This disease is usually painless until a bone breaks or fractures. Fractures are the most common result of osteoporosis. These fractures are usually in the spine, hip and wrist. More than 1.5 million osteoporosis-related fractures occur each year in the United States, mostly in older women (). Although men do suffer from this ailment, osteoporosis is most common among older women. About 25% of women older than 60 years have this disease (Strange 25). Many times this disease goes undiagnosed until signs and symptoms arise, most commonly are fractures. Yes, but much less commonly than women. The cause of osteoporosis in men is often chronic alcoholism. Loss of testosterone (a male hormone similar to estrogen in women) is another cause. Although not all causes of osteoporosis are known, loss of estrogen, due to menopause, is a major known cause for women. Women who either have had early menopause or their ovaries surgically removed before age forty-five, who do not receive estrogen treatment, are also more likely to develop osteoporosis. Other factors causing osteoporosis include small body frames, excessive use of alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and enduring excessively strenuous exercise that stops menstrual periods. Additionally to these causes are factors known to lead to osteoporosis. These include a family history of the disease, a low dietary intake of calcium, the use of medications such as prednisone or other steroids, hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, and Cushings disease, and other diseases such as chronic liver disease and intestinal disorders. Aging is another major factor in the cause of osteoporosis. Without treatment, men and women lose one to three percent of their bone s mass each year after age 50. As life expectancies increase, osteoporosis may become even more prevalent unless preventive measure...