OSTEOPOROSIS

Course overview

OSTEOPOROSIS IS DEFINED AS LOW BONE MINERAL DENSITY CAUSED BY ALTERED BONE MICROSTRUCTURE, ULTIMATELY PREDISPOSING PATIENTS TO LOW-IMPACT, FRAGILITY FRACTURES. OSTEOPOROTIC FRACTURES LEAD TO A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN QUALITY OF LIFE, WITH INCREASED MORBIDITY, MORTALITY, AND DISABILITY. OVER 50 PERCENT OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WHITE WOMEN WILL HAVE AN OSTEOPOROTIC-RELATED FRACTURE, AND ONLY 33 PERCENT OF SENIOR WOMEN WHO HAVE A HIP FRACTURE WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO INDEPENDENT LIVING. IN WHITE MEN, THE RISK OF AN OSTEOPOROTIC FRACTURE IS 20 PERCENT; HOWEVER, THE ONE-YEAR MORTALITY IN MEN WHO HAVE A HIP FRACTURE IS TWICE THAT OF WOMEN. BLACK MALES AND FEMALES HAVE A DECREASED INCIDENCE OF OSTEOPOROSIS COMPARED TO WHITE; HOWEVER, THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH OSTEOPOROSIS HAVE SIMILAR FRACTURE RISKS. THE AGING OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF OSTEOPOROTIC FRACTURES. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.