Osteoporosis
Prevention — Osteoporosis Exercise — Osteoporosis
Treatment Medical Dictionary
Osteoporosis contributes to more than 1.5 million
bone fractures a year, with most of these breaks
occurring in the hips, spine, and wrist, thus
limiting many people’s freedom. This medical
dictionary covers the terms used in the report, Osteoporosis:
A Guide to Prevention and Treatment, and
includes details on osteoporosis treatment, symptoms,
the doctors involved, exercise, medication, and
the science behind it.
bisphosphonates: A class of
compounds, including alendronate and risedronate,
that slow bone resorption. These medications
are used to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
bone mass: The total amount
of bone tissue in the body.
bone mineral density (BMD): The
amount of mineralized bone tissue in a given
area, usually calculated in grams per square
centimeter.
calcium: A mineral that is
the primary component of hydroxyapatite. It is
also vital to many physical processes, including
heart rate, blood pressure, muscle contractions,
the transmission of nerve signals, and the regulation
of internal organs.
compact bone: Very dense bone
tissue that forms the outer shell of bones and
composes a large part of the long bones of the
arms, legs, and ribs. Also called cortical bone
or lamellar bone.
compression fracture: The collapse
of a bone, most often a vertebra.
dorsal kyphosis: An abnormal
front-to-back curvature of the mid-to-upper spine
that can result from compression fractures of
vertebrae. Commonly called dowager’s hump.
dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA): A
test in which x-rays are used to measure bone
density and produce an image of the bone; the
preferred screening test for osteoporosis.
glucocorticoids: A class of
hormones produced by the adrenal gland and simulated
by medications such as prednisone. These medications
can contribute to osteoporosis.
hormone therapy: Augmentation
of a woman’s depleted hormones with estrogen
alone or a combination of estrogen and progestin
or progesterone; a measure to reduce osteoporosis
risk in postmenopausal women.
hydroxyapatite: The mature,
hard, somewhat crystalline mineral compounds
in bone tissue.
hyperparathyroidism: A condition
in which the body produces excessive amounts
of parathyroid hormone (PTH), disrupting the
regulation of calcium. As a result, calcium is
taken from the bones, blood levels of calcium
rise, and increased amounts of calcium may be
excreted in urine.
osteoblasts: Bone-forming cells.
osteoclasts: Bone-removing
cells.
osteocytes: Osteoblasts that
have completed their bone-forming function and
have become trapped in new bone tissue, evolving
into structural bone cells.
osteons: The basic units of
compact bone, consisting of tightly packed concentric
rings of tissue with a blood vessel running through
the central channel.
parathyroid hormone (PTH): A
hormone that regulates calcium levels. It prevents
the level of blood calcium from going too low
by stimulating the breakdown of bone. In addition
to triggering bone loss, it can stimulate bone
formation. Given appropriately, it can increase
bone mass, and is used as a treatment for osteoporosis.
peak bone mass: The greatest
amount of bone tissue that a person has during
his or her life; typically reached by age 30.
primary osteoporosis: Bone
loss that doesn’t result from an identifiable
pathological process.
remodeling: The body’s
mechanism for systematically removing old bone
tissue and replacing it with new bone to preserve
the strength of the skeleton.
resorption: The removal of
bone tissue — both protein and minerals — by
osteoclasts.
secondary osteoporosis: Bone
loss associated with an identifiable medical
condition, treatment with certain drugs, or immobility.
trabecular bone: Bone tissue
arranged in a meshwork of thin plates or beams
that is commonly found at the center of long
bones and that composes a large part of the hip
and vertebrae. Also called cancellous bone or
spongy bone.
vitamin D: A hormone that plays
a key role in ensuring the absorption of calcium
from the intestines.
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