Bone and Joint Disorders Quiz

Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis: Nursing Interventions and Clinical Manifestations

• Osteoporosis can be primary or secondary, with primary osteoporosis occurring in women after menopause and men later in life, and secondary osteoporosis being the result of medications or other conditions affecting bone metabolism.
• Common signs and symptoms of osteoporosis include fractures, kyphosis, decreased calcitonin and estrogen, and increased parathyroid hormone.
• Nursing interventions for osteoporosis include patient education about bone health, assessment of risk factors, fall prevention strategies, and promoting adherence to medication and lifestyle changes.
• Treatment of osteoporosis focuses on calcium and vitamin D supplementation for fracture prevention, as well as bisphosphonates.
• Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, characterized as 'wear and tear' or degenerative arthritis, and is frequently disabling among joint disorders.
• Osteoarthritis can be classified as primary (idiopathic) or secondary (resulting from previous joint injury or inflammatory disease).
• The pathophysiology of osteoarthritis involves mechanical injury to the articular cartilage, chondrocyte response, release of cytokines, stimulation of enzymes, and resulting damage that predisposes to further damage.
• Factors contributing to osteoarthritis include increased age, obesity, previous joint damage, and repetitive use due to occupational or recreational factors.
• Osteoarthritis commonly affects weight-bearing joints and those used most often, with a slow onset typically affecting individuals over 40 years old.
• Clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis include pain caused by an inflamed synovium, stiffness experienced in the morning or upon awakening, and limited effects to the joints unlike other forms of arthritis.
• Osteoarthritis is often overdiagnosed, trivialized, and either overtreated or undertreated, with its functional impact on the quality of life of elderly patients frequently ignored.
• The understanding of osteoarthritis has expanded beyond the previous notion of "wear and tear" related to aging, with various causes including increased age, obesity, previous joint damage, and repetitive use.