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Osteoporosis as a Geriatric Syndrome

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Osteoporosis in Older Persons

Abstract

An osteoporotic fracture in an older adult can be a devastating event that sets off a cascade of consequences resulting in functional decline, impaired quality of life, and sometimes death. Identifying interventions to prevent osteoporotic fractures or disrupt the negative cascade that follows them has therefore been a priority for clinicians, researchers, patients and families. Many of the advances in the field over the last decade have resulted from viewing osteoporosis as a disease state characterized by abnormal bone mass, architecture, and strength; understanding the pathogenesis of this disease has led to new targets for pharmacologic therapy that improve bone properties and reduce fracture rates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Cathleen S. Colón-Emeric MD, MHS

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  1. Cathleen S. Colón-Emeric MD, MHS
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Correspondence to Cathleen S. Colón-Emeric MD, MHS .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science, The University of Melbourne and Western Health, Saint Albans, Victoria, Australia

    Gustavo Duque

  2. Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Douglas P. Kiel

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Colón-Emeric, C.S. (2016). Osteoporosis as a Geriatric Syndrome. In: Duque, G., Kiel, D. (eds) Osteoporosis in Older Persons. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25976-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25976-5_7

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