[Senile osteoporosis--prevention and therapy]

Senile osteoporosis (type II-osteoporosis) is the final result of a large number of risk factors and negative effects on bone tissue which affect the skeleton throughout life. Important phases include bone formation during childhood and adolescence, the following obligatory loss of bone substance in the process of bone remodeling, periods of increased bone loss due to individual risk factors and augmented bone resorption in advanced age. According to this complex pathogenesis affecting the skeleton throughout life prevention is a lifelong task. The most important measures include a high calcium diet, regular physical activity, avoidance of risk factors and in postmenopausal women long-term sequential estrogen-progesteron substitution. The primary goal of therapy of established osteoporosis in the elderly is to relief symptoms and pain. Further treatment with the aim to keep or even increase bone mass (e.g. calcitonin, fluoride, calcium) may be indicated in individual patients taking into consideration age, disease activity and other individual prognostic factors.