[Osteoporosis as a cause of pathological fractures]

The risk of bone fractures increases with increasing age. There are two reasons: 1) Accelerated bone loss causes destruction of bone structures and yields reduction in mechanical competence of the skeleton. 2) Increasing risk of falling results from rapid changes in pulse rates or blood pressure but also from reduced consciousness in patients using sleeping pills or sedativa. Inappropriate reactions to stumbling and falling cause increased load on bones during falling. Treatment of osteoporosis must take both aspects into consideration: 1) Drugs such as fluorides, bisphosphonates, calcitonins and oestrogens influence bone metabolism by increasing the bone mass. 2) Gymnastics and training stimulate bone formation; gymnastics and additional physical therapy cause reduction of pain and complaints.