Recent advances in prophylactics and treatment of osteoporosis

Abstract

Recently, a dramatic increase in the average life expectancy has been noted, regarded as the one of the greatest achievements of the last decades, but in consequence osteoporosis affects millions of people all over the world. Currently osteoporosis is defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength which leads to an increased risk of fractures. The most commonly used tool to evaluate the 10-year risk of fractures is the fracture risk assessment tool validated in many independent cohorts. Osteoporosis itself has no symptoms, but fractures are common symptoms of osteoporosis which can result in disability and mortality. Hence, osteoporosis is called a silent epidemic as well as a silent killer. The best way to assess patients with osteoporosis is by using the most widely employed techniques - dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or quantitative computed tomography. There are a lot of precisely documented risk factors of osteoporosis - e.g. cigarette smoking, alcohol use, getting little or no exercise, being small-framed or thin, a diet low in foods containing calcium and vitamin D - and their limitation or elimination is the best way for prophylactics of this dangerous disease. Some other risk factors such as age and sex of patients should not be omitted in the decision making process. In the literature there are numerous therapeutic proposals and different guidelines. In this review we present the recent advances in the prophylactics and treatment of osteoporosis.