Leong K H
Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore.
Ann Acad Med Singap. 1998 Jan;27(1):100-4.
Osteoporosis is a potentially devastating illness and causes morbidity and mortality from fragility fractures at the wrist, spine and hip. Currently, the illness can be detected before the fractures occur using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and many preventive and therapeutic options exist. Efforts should be directed at helping the population at large achieve a healthy peak bone mass and adopt lifestyle habits which benefit bone mass. For those at high risk of fractures or who have already suffered an osteoporotic fracture, many pharmacological agents have been shown to reduce the risk of subsequent fractures. Hormone replacement therapy and bisphosphonates have the best efficacy data at present but there are likely to be more options in the near future. Hence, there is a need for a paradigm shift in that osteoporosis should not be thought of as an illness that starts at the point of fracture. Instead, it should be actively assessed and treated before fractures occur.
骨质疏松症是一种具有潜在毁灭性的疾病，可导致手腕、脊柱和髋部发生脆性骨折，进而引发发病和死亡。目前，在骨折发生前可通过双能X线吸收法检测出该疾病，并且存在多种预防和治疗方法。应致力于帮助广大人群达到健康的峰值骨量，并养成有益于骨量的生活习惯。对于那些骨折风险高或已经发生骨质疏松性骨折的人，许多药物已被证明可降低后续骨折的风险。激素替代疗法和双膦酸盐目前拥有最佳疗效数据，但在不久的将来可能会有更多选择。因此，需要进行范式转变，即不应将骨质疏松症视为一种始于骨折之时的疾病。相反，应在骨折发生前对其进行积极评估和治疗。
