Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Article Summary:

NST Online – 31 December 2021

Malaysia’s ageing population is expected to reach 16.3 per cent by 2040 – as such, the number of women susceptible to osteoporosis is likely to increase as menopause is the most critical risk factor for the condition.

Osteoporosis refers to a skeletal condition in which a person develops low bone mass leading to fragile bones. This increases the risk of fragility fractures, impacting their independence, quality of life, and even survival. The bones in the wrist, hip, and spine are most likely to fracture from osteoporosis, although it can affect any bone.

Dato Dr Lee Joon Kiong, the Fragility Fracture Network of Malaysia (FFNM) president, founding member of the Bone Health Alliance Malaysia (BHAM) and consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Beacon Hospital, says osteoporosis is a major cause of fractures among postmenopausal women.

Those who already have an osteoporotic fracture are at a high risk of a subsequent fracture if they are not started on an appropriate treatment regimen. Doctors advise women with severe postmenopausal osteoporosis to talk and determine the best treatment option to reduce their risk of future fracture.

For full article, source: New Straits Times