Osteoporosis

Abstract

Patients with osteoporosis have high risks for vertebral and non-vertebral fractures; therefore, these patients should be adequately diagnosed and treated for prevention of fractures. It is essential to treat patients appropriately and sufficiently that the physicians must understand the mechanisms underlying osteoporosis and physiological bone homeostasis. The large population of osteoporosis is postmenopausal osteoporosis, which is categorized in primary osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is caused by deficiency of estrogen. Estrogen exerts its osteoprotective effects directly and indirectly to bone tissue. Also, secondary osteoporosis can be induced by various pathologic conditions, such as hyperparathyroidism, glucocorticoid treatment, and inflammatory diseases. Clarification of the molecular basis underlying the pathophysiology of osteoporosis will open the window to develop novel therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis.