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Osteoporosis

About the Disease

Osteoporosis is a disease affecting the skeleton where the bones become weak and unable to withstand the normal stresses of everyday activity or a simple fall without breaking. It is a prevalent disease affecting 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men and is a major drain on healthcare resources due to the high burden of morbidity and mortality associated with low trauma fractures. Hip fracture in particular often leads to loss of independence with a consequent strain on social services and has a 25% mortality rate within one year. Osteoporosis affects primarily women as they reach a lower peak bone mass and suffer oestrogen deficiency related bone loss following the menopause.

For more information about osteoporosis or for patient support, see the website of the National Osteoporosis Society at www.nos.org.uk

Facts
The Cost of a densitometer for spine and hip bone density measurement is about £80,000.
The most sites of osteoporotic fracture are the wrist, spine and hip.
No single cause for osteoporosis has been identified.
Numbers of people in the UK suffering from osteoporosis is over 3 million.
1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will break a bone mainly due to osteoporosis.
Over 80% of all fractures in people over 50 are caused by osteoporosis.
One year after hip fracture: 40% are unable to walk independently, 80% are unable to do basic tasks such as driving/shopping, 60% still have problems with daily living and 20% are admitted to a nursing home.
Over 300,000 osteoporotic fractures occur each year costing the NHS £2.3 billion per year (£6 million per day).
NHS tariff for a DXA scan is £63.
Osteoporosis and osteoporosis related conditions kill more people than any cancer other than lung cancer.
80% of osteoporosis sufferers are women, but as the longevity of the male population increases, the disease will assume increasing importance in men.