Osteoporosis is a condition where bone density decreases, leading to brittle bones and an increased risk of fractures. The pathophysiology of osteoporosis is an imbalance between bone formation and resorption, often caused by factors such as calcium deficiency and reduced estrogen levels. Hormones such as calcitonin and parathyroid hormone may also play a role.
Pathophysiology is a term that describes the changes that occur when normal biological processes become abnormal. The pathophysiology of osteoporosis, therefore, refers to the changes that occur in the body as a result of osteoporosis. People with this condition experience a variety of symptoms related to bone loss, often due to a long-term calcium deficiency.
Osteoporosis itself has a few specific symptoms that can be recognized in people with the disease, one of which is brittle bones. This condition results in a greatly increased risk of bone fractures from falls and other injuries. Osteoporosis-related fractures tend to occur in bones that wouldn’t normally be vulnerable to damage from a simple fall. These include wrist bones, hips, ribs and spine bones.
The root cause of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis is an imbalance between two factors related to the maintenance of bone density. These factors are bone formation and bone resorption. Normal, healthy bone is constantly being repaired and remodeled; some estimates indicate that up to ten percent of bone tissue is undergoing this process in a healthy body.
Bone formation is a process in which bone matter is deposited by cells called osteoblasts. Bone resorption is the opposite process: Cells called osteoclasts absorb bone matter. These two processes must remain in perfect balance for the maintenance of healthy levels of bone density. In a person with osteoporosis, bone formation and bone resorption are out of balance, making the bone less dense, more brittle, and more prone to fracture.
Several factors can lead to an imbalance between bone deposition and resorption. One of the most common is the reduction in estrogen levels that occurs in post-menopausal women. This reduction causes the rate of bone resorption to increase relative to the rate of bone formation.
Another common mechanism of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis is calcium deficiency. Bone matter is continuously being deposited and partly reabsorbed to provide the body with the calcium supply it needs for essential tasks such as muscle contraction and neurotransmission. Resorbed bone releases calcium, which enters the bloodstream and is distributed to cells that need it. When calcium is not provided by the diet, more mineral must be retained by the bones, and this process reduces the rate at which bone matter is deposited by osteoblasts. This deficiency can be made worse by a lack of vitamin D.
Other organs, including the thyroid and parathyroid glands, secrete hormones that may play a role in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. The thyroid gland secretes a hormone called calcitonin, which increases the rate of bone deposition by osteoblasts. The parathyroid glands secrete parathyroid hormone, which has many roles, including increasing the rate at which bone matter is broken down. An imbalance in the levels of either of these two hormones may be important in the development of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
