Secondary Osteoporosis

Secondary Osteoporosis
The nomenclature ‘secondary osteoporosis’ has traditionally been used where a disease or drug is responsible for osteoporosis. 

This kind of osteoporosis can be primarily attributed to the following conditions:

· Hyperthyroidism ( increase in thyroid functions).
· Thyroidectomy (removal of thyroid gland, a gland in the neck)
· Reduced function of sex glands
· Gastrectomy (removal of stomach)
· Hemiplegia (paralysis of one-half of the body0
· Chronic lung disease
· Thin body ( constitution)
· Inactivity 
· Epilepsy drugs
· Corticosteeroids

Besides there are some uncommon diseases that contribute to osteoporosis. These are – some types of cancers, diabetes, increased function of pituitary (gland in the brain) and adrenal glands ( glands in the abdomen), Vitamin C deficiency, rheumatoid arthritis ( a type of arthritis), some hereditary diseases, and reduced levels of phosphates in blood. 

What is Peak Bone Mass?
The risk of developing osteoporosis is closely linked to the peak bone mass of a person. Peak bone mass is generally defined as the highest level of bone mass ( bone tissue) achieved as a result of normal skeletal growth. Being one of the principal factors that determines bone mass late in life, it helps envisage the tendency towards development of osteoporotic fractures. Although all of us lose bone with age at about the same rate, those of us starting with more mass, end with more. Thus, other things being equal, a high peak bone mass provides a larger reserve later in life, and , therefore, increased peak bone mass is considered to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, later in life.

The timing of the peak bone mass is considered to be anytime between 18 to as late as 35 years of age. However, by the age of 18 years, skeletal growth is nearly complete. There can, at times, be confusion between bone mass and bone density. As far as tendency to fractures is concerned, mass is more important than density. Therefore, a big-boned individual ( with more bone mass) will generally be more fracture – resistant even if his bone density is lower.