References
Osteoporosis and its effects on women's health
Abstract
The ‘silent epidemic’ of osteoporosis could be responsible for as many as 150,000 fractures each year. Joyce Roberts looks at how this can affect women's health.
This article explores what osteoporosis is and its effects on women's health. It looks at the role's women play and their responsibilities and what the risk factors are and how they can be reduced. Funding clinical research is important to improve treatment and support in the future. This will explore promising treatment in 2024 and give recommendations to improve clinical care in the future. The aim of this article is to create an awareness of the risk factors and how to improve quality of life for all.
Osteoporosis can be seen as the ‘silent epidemic’. In England and Wales, around 180,000 of the fractures presenting each year are the result of osteoporosis. More than one in three women and one in five men will sustain one or more osteoporotic fractures in their lifetime (NICE 2021).
Osteoporosis is a state in which bone is fully mineralised, but its structure is abnormally porous, and its strength is less normal for a person of that age. (Apley et al, 1993). This weakens the bones and increases the risks of falls leading to fractures. Osteoporosis is the result of bones losing both protein (collagen) which helps bones flex slightly under strain and calcium which makes them strong. Women at the menopause and the next 10 years lose bone at an accelerated rate – 3% per year compared to 0.3% during the preceding decade. This happens when the ovaries stop making the hormone oestrogen or it can be seen as the ageing process.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Practice Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for general practice nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Limited access to clinical or professional articles
-
New content and clinical newsletter updates each month