Osteoporosis Flashcards
What is osteoporosis?
a significant reduction in bone density
What is osteopenia?
reduced bone mass
What measurement is used to diagnose osteoporosis?
T-scores
What scan is used to calculate T-scores?
DEXA
What does the T-score from a DEXA scan tell?
the number of standard deviations the patient is from an average healthy young adult (e.g. a score of -1 means the bone mineral density is 1 standard deviation below the average for healthy adults)
What is considered a normal T score?
anything above -1
What T-score range is considered osteopenia?
-1 to -2.5
What T-score is considered osteoporosis?
less than -2.5
What is the criteria for the diagnosis of severe osteoporosis?
1) a T-score of less than 2.5
2) fracture
What does DEXA stand for?
dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
How do DEXA scans work?
they use X-rays to measure how much radiation is absorbed by the bones indicating how dense the bone is
Which bone region is the most important when determining bone density with DEXA?
femoral neck
What is a Z-score?
the number of standard deviations the patient is from the average for their age, sex and ethnicity
Give 10 risk factors for osteoporosis:
1) reduced calcium or vitamin D
2) older age
3) history or family history of fragility fractures
4) reduced mobility and activity
5) alcohol and smoking
6) long term corticosteroid use
7) reduced BMI
8) chronic diseases (CKD, hyperthyroidism)
9) post-menopausal women)
10) certain medications (steroids, SSRIs, PPIs, anti-epileptics)
Give two examples of chronic conditions that increase risk for osteoporosis:
1) chronic kidney disease
2) hyperthyroidism
Give 4 groups of medications that increase the risk of osteoporosis:
1) steroids
2) SSRIs
3) PPIs
4) anti-epileptics
What female hormone is protective against osteoporosis?
oestrogen
Why are menopausal women at risk of osteoporosis?
oestrogen is protective for osteoporosis and a sudden drop puts them at risk