Post Menopausal Osteoporosis

Overview

Post Menopausal osteoporosis refers to osteoporosis which affect post-menopausal women. Osteoporosis refers to the porous bone where the bone density. This lead to brittle and fragile bones. It can lead to frequent fractures. After menopause, the levels of estrogen in the body is low. One of the functions of estrogen is to inhibit bone resorption by directly inducing osteoclast apoptosis (self destruction), hence, preventing loss of bone density. So, after menopause, the estrogens decrease directly leading to a decrease in bone mass. Risk factors of developing postmenopausal osteoporosis include early age of menopause, older age, and obesity. This condition can be diagnosed by proper history taking, physical examination, bone mineral density (BMD) test and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women can be prevented by estrogen replacement therapy. Other management includes calcium supplements, vitamin D supplements, and exercise.