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Pathophysiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis

  • Chapter
Atlas of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Abstract

The skeleton provides a rigid framework for the body, protecting vital organs, acting as a site for the attachment of muscles, and housing the bone marrow. It contains 99% of total body calcium, and plays a major role in the preservation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis, providing a reservoir from, or into, which these ions can be transported. Hence, in the absence of adequate amounts of calcium absorbed from the intestine, bone lysis will maintain serum calcium levels at the expense of bone strength.

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Authors
  1. Serge Ferrari
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  2. Johann D Ringe
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Bone Diseases, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University Hospitals, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland

    René Rizzoli

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Ferrari, S., Ringe, J.D. (2010). Pathophysiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis. In: Rizzoli, R. (eds) Atlas of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis. Springer Healthcare, Tarporley. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-907673-28-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-907673-28-3_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer Healthcare, Tarporley

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