Osteoporosis FAQs

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass that results in a reduction in the strength of the skeleton.

Normal Bone


Osteoporotic Bone

The Scope of the Problem

  • Osteoporosis affects as many as 44 million Americans
  • 80% of those affected are women
  • One in two women and one in four men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her/his remaining lifetime
  • While osteoporosis is often thought of as an older person's disease, it can strike at any age

Consequences of Osteoporosis

  • Increased risk of fracture of the hip, spine, and wrist
  • Morbidity and mortality from fracture
  • - Over 300,000 hip fractures/year
  • - A 50-year-old white woman has a 15% lifetime probability of suffering a hip fracture Healthcare costs
    - 2002: $18 billion

Fractures of the Hip and Spine

Reference:
National Osteoporosis Foundation

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