Osteoporosis means porosity or thinning of the
bones. Frailty, fractures, curved back and loss of height are often regarded
as a normal part of ageing. In fact these are symptoms of a disease, osteoporosis,
which can be prevented if steps are taken earlier in life.
If allowed to progress without treatment, osteoporosis is one of the leading
causes of suffering, disability and death in elderly people. Fortunately,
there is an increasing awareness of osteoporosis and important breakthroughs
have been made in its diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Juliet Compston is Reader in Metabolic Bone
Disease and Honorary Consultant Physician at the University of Cambridge
School of Clinical Medicine and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.
