It is the most prevalent of the bone diseases that affect Americans. Although it is the underlying cause of most fractures in older people, the condition is silent and undetected in most cases until a fracture occurs. Osteoporosis is a major threat for 28 million Americans.
American women are four times as likely to develop osteoporosis as men.
One out of every two women and one in eight men over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in his or her lifetime. Of all these injuries, hip fractures have the greatest morbidity and socioeconomic impact. Following a hip fracture, there is a 10 to 20 percent mortality rate during the next 6 months. This means people can, and do, die as a result of hip fractures. Fifty percent of those people experiencing a hip fracture will be unable to walk without assistance, and 25 percent will require long-term care.