Osteoporosis Rationale Essay: Pathophysiology, Symptoms, and Treatment

This essay provides a rationale for raising awareness about Osteoporosis, a disease affecting millions in the UK. It delves into the pathophysiology of the disease, focusing on symptoms, causes, and treatment options, while highlighting the lack of public awareness and the need for medical interventions, especially in cases of hip fractures. The essay emphasizes that Osteoporosis weakens bones due to decreased mineral density, leading to fractures and postural problems. It further explains the bone remodeling process involving osteoclasts and osteoblasts, and how hormonal imbalances can disrupt this process, especially in women post-menopause. The importance of addressing lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption is stressed, along with the need for public health campaigns to promote bone health. The essay concludes by advocating for continued research, improved treatment methods, and peer-reviewed educational materials to combat the disease effectively. Desklib offers a variety of study resources on this and related topics.

Rationale essay on
Osteoporosis

Contents
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY............................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
This essay will serve as a rationale complimentary to the prepared Leaflet on the
topic of Osteoporosis which is a dangerous disease affecting millions of people in the UK but
somehow slips under the radar of both the general public and the Medicare authorities. The
arguments which will be covered by this essay with include the line of thought behind
choosing Osteoporosis as the basis for Leaflet preparation, the pathophysiology of the disease
focusing on symptoms and causes along with the possible treatment options, medical
awareness and interventions needed to better combat this disease especially in case of
resulting hip fractures.
MAIN BODY
When it comes to diseases which affect the bones and skeletal structures of human
beings, Osteoporosis is one of the most major ones that is currently prevailing in multiple
countries, especially in the UK where it is affecting more than 3 million people. Osteoporosis
is a medical condition due to which the bones that comprise the human body’s structure
weaken over time making the individual in question prone to fractures which mainly happens
because of changes or decrement in the bone’s mineral density or overall mass composition
(Bartl and Bartl, 2019). The symptoms of Osteoporosis include a gradual loss of the ability to
hold an uptight posture naturally, severe joint pains when doing normal daily activities along
with the tendency for bones to break much more frequently than normally possible. The
reason as to why this disease in particular has been chosen for making the leaflet and
furthering the discussion is because of the fact that despite the disease affecting a large set of
the population of UK, the symptoms and gradual worsening that occur due to this affliction
happen silently without any major complications until the bones actually begin to break and
it’s too late which demands a need for further research and interventions (What is
osteoporosis? 2018).
In a healthy human adult body, the process called resorption takes place daily kin which
minute amounts of bone minerals are removed and at the same time, new materials are laid
down to take their place to undergo the process known as bone remodeling which occurs
throughout life as the body’s requirements and structure change from childhood to old age.
These processes are governed by special cells known as Osteoclasts and osteoblasts where
the former is responsible for initiating the process of resorption and breaking down bones
while the latter helps in formation of new bones through mineralization (Kikuta and Ishii,

2018). Osteoporosis occurs when this natural balance is tipped out of order leading to
excessive resorption weakening bones mainly due to hormonal changes and activities of
glands. The worsening of the disease happens without much discomfort as first but slowly,
bones get weak to an extent where one feels like they are walking on eggshells as even a
minor activity like a sneeze can cause fractures making leading a normal life an afterthought.
Osteoporosis is a complex disease which is a combination of both genetic and physiological
factors along with the type of lifestyle individuals lead which prompts the disease into taking
effect. This medical condition is much more prevalent in women rather than men due to the
BMD (Bone mass density) and bone mineral composition being different than men along
with the hormonal changes that occur during menopause having direct effects on both these
factors. However it has been observed that men usually suffer much harder after effects of
fractures occurring from Osteoporosis and their rate of recovery is slower.
Another major factor that makes it necessary to study this disease and raise awareness
in major social circles is because there are vital bone structures in the body that if fractured
can lead to long term consequences such as hip fractures. Breaking of the hip is very
detrimental to the normal functioning among humans as the joint is responsible for walking
and facilitating movement in the body and most treatments require expensive surgeries
rendering people to old age homes and wheelchairs. According to reports, every year close to
300,000 people suffering rom fragility fractures from osteoporosis with close to 70,000 hip
fractures which is a problem that needs more research put into it as many cases are fatal
(Osteoporosis in the UK at... Breaking Point, 2018).
Health education and awareness regarding Osteoporosis is very important as the
symptoms of this disease are easily brushed aside by people as simple hormonal changes until
the bones start breaking and today’s highly accelerated and stressful life has only made the
disease worse as people have stopped prioritizing their personal health and are practicing
habits bad for bones. Public health campaigns and interventions are needed to inform people
to regulate their diets and have some form of physical activity and exercise as not taking
enough vitamin D and calcium can lead to weakness in bone formation and density and UK’s
population being high on fast food has also led to rise in obesity which triggers osteoporosis.
Prevention of this disease can also come from educating the masses about regulating their
smoking and alcohol consumption as both activities have been proven to weaken bones
considerably through hormonal changes (Cheraghi, and et.al., 2019). There must be
communication with public regarding new results and treatment options coming out related to

the disease with new research as there are new drugs in development which can result in
better treatment and about the nature of Osteoporosis being hereditary and it running in the
family. Making the early symptoms known and having people take care of their routine can
help bring down the large Osteoporosis numbers down in the UK.
CONCLUSION
Osteoporosis is a disease which can have devastating consequences for people of UK
as the numbers of people suffering from it unknowingly are in the millions which is why it is
very necessary for the medical authorities and the government to increase awareness
regarding lifestyle habits and treatment options available. The leaflet that was developed for
this disease will be developed further by making sure it is peer reviewed and goes through
internal content quality checks to avoid errors and made available in multiple languages for
public convenience. The leaflet will also focus more on recent research results and new
treatment methods in development today to provide some hope to patients suffering from this
disease.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bartl, R. and Bartl, C., 2019. The Osteoporosis Manual: Prevention, Diagnosis and
Management. Springer.
Kikuta, J. and Ishii, M., 2018. Bone imaging: osteoclast and osteoblast dynamics. In Intravital
Imaging of Dynamic Bone and Immune Systems (pp. 1-9). Humana Press, New York, NY.
Cheraghi, and et.al., 2019. The effect of alcohol on osteoporosis: a systematic review and
meta-analysis. Drug and alcohol dependence, 197, pp.197-202.
Online referencing
What is osteoporosis? 2018 [online] available through < https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-
info/bone/osteoporosis/overview>

Osteoporosis in the UK at... Breaking Point, 2018 [online] available through
https://ilcuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/OsteoporosisUK.pdf