Osteoporosis Flashcards
What is Osteoporosis?
A disorder affecting the skeletal system characterised by loss of bone mass.
What is the main risk factor for osteoporosis?
Female
What are the other risk factors for osteoporosis?
Steroid use (BIG)
smoking
alcohol
low body mass index
family history
How is osteoporosis defined by WHO?
Bone mineral density (BMD) of less than 2.5 standard deviations (SD) below the young adult mean density.
What does osteoporosis increase the risk of?
Fragility (i.e. non-traumatic) fracture
What is the problem with the increased risk of a frailty fracture?
Certain fragility fractures such as fractured neck of femur are associated with significant morbidity and mortality
Who needs to be assessed for risk of frailty fractures with osteoporosis?
women aged >= 65
men aged >= 75
Younger patients with certain RF
What RF might indiacte that a younger patient needs assessed?
previous fragility fracture
Use of steroids
history of falls
family history of hip fracture
low BMI (less than 18.5 kg/m²)
smoking
alcohol intake of more than 14 units per week
What are used to assess the risk in people with osteoporosis?
FRAX
QFracture
What is the function of the FRAX or QFracture?
To assess a patients 10 year risk of developing a fracture
