Causes and Consequences

The most common cause is the dominance of bone-resorbing cells over bone-building cells. Hormonal imbalances (e.g., menopause) also lead to rapid bone loss. It can coexist with diabetes, thyroid disease, or result from long-term use of glucocorticosteroids or anticoagulants.

The consequence is a high risk of fragility fractures. The most common sites are the femoral neck (hip), vertebrae, and the radius (wrist). Often, osteoporosis is only diagnosed after a fracture has occurred because there are no pain receptors inside the bone to signal the loss of mass.