SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.11 número3National Health Insurance in South Africa índice de autoresíndice de assuntospesquisa de artigos
Home Pagelista alfabética de periódicos  

Serviços Personalizados

Artigo

Indicadores

Links relacionados

  • Em processo de indexaçãoCitado por Google
  • Em processo de indexaçãoSimilares em Google

Compartilhar


SA Orthopaedic Journal

versão On-line ISSN 2309-8309
versão impressa ISSN 1681-150X

SA orthop. j. vol.11 no.3 Centurion Jan. 2012

 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

 

Osteoporosis: are we doing the right thing?

 

 

The following extract appeared in the American press: 'A woman sustained a fragility fracture, was treated with internal fixation but had another fracture within three months. She sued her surgeon for not treating her osteoporosis and won the case.'

 

What are the related facts?

Statistics show that 53% of patients have a life-time risk of osteoporosis compared to heart disease (46%), stroke (20%) and breast cancer (10%). Osteoporotic fractures are closely linked to an increase in mortality.

Risk factors for osteoporosis are age, general poor health, dementia, being of either Caucasian or Asian race, previous fragility fracture, positive family history, early menopause, hypogonadism in men and low body mass index (J, 19 kg/m2). Lifestyle factors (dieting, caffeine intake, smoking, alcohol intake, drinking phosphate beverages and lack of physical training) play a major role.

DEXA is still the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Increases in bone density correspond to fracture risk reduction.

Treatment consists of preventing fractures by improving bone and muscle strength (sarcopaenia) to prevent falls occurring. Many treatment options are available, such as calcium and vitamin D, anti-resorptives (HRT, raloxifene, bis-phosphonates and strontium) and anabolic agents (PTH, strontium).

The responsibility lies with us to prevent recurrent fragility fractures, by either treating the patients ourselves or by referring them in good time.

 

Acknowledgement

Interview with Dr Elsa van Duuren, President of the South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association (SARAA).

 

Prof TLB le Roux
President: South African Orthopaedic Association

Creative Commons License Todo o conteúdo deste periódico, exceto onde está identificado, está licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons