OSTEOPOROSIS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ASTHIKSHAYA, A PREVALENCE ASSESSMENT

Osteoporosis the most common degenerative disease in old age characterised by reduced bone mineral density. Osteopenia is considered as the precursor of osteoporosis when bone mineral density is less than normal. Old age, nutritional deficiency, reduction in sex hormones, systemic illness and long-term use of steroid drugs are the common aetiologies. The prevalence of osteoporosis is found to be the highest in post-menopausal women and old age men. The present study was done in Govt Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram by observing 342 patients who attended the OPD and IPD in an intention to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients seeking treatment in Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram.