The Osteoporotic Syndrome: Detection, Prevention, and Treatment

Abstract

With a steady increase in our aging population of which the majority are women, the osteoporotic-fracture syndrome is acquiring a sinister medical, social, and economic importance. This book on osteoporosis, written by eight eminent scholars in the field, is a timely and important contribution to a neglected subject. The distinguished contributors discuss the serious magnitude of the problem from epidemiologic and clinical points of view. They describe noninvasive methods for quantitating appendicular bone mass and trabecular bone mass, which are more sensitive than routine roentgenograms; the diagnostic use of iliac crest bone biopsies combined with the tetracycline fluorescence technique to visualize the newly deposited bone mineral; the care of the symptomatic menopausal patient; prevention of osteoporosis in young women; and management of the postmenopausal osteoporotic syndrome. The book is a delight to read because of its clear, crisp, easily understood language and adroit turns of phrase (eg, the facilitating effect