Osteomalacia and osteoporosis, albeit two different health conditions, stand similarly in certain areas, health experts say, explaining how both bone-related diseases may negatively impact bone mass and strength.  Although muscoskeletal diseases are mostly preventable, osteomalacia as a defined illness, may be completely reversed in some patients, as opposed to osteoporosis.  Despite the absence of cure for osteoporosis, debilitating fractures may still be prevented with the help of drug therapy. 

But as were any treatment, certain adverse events including spontaneous thighbone breaks have been associated with Fosamax and other bisphosphonate drugs.  As legal claims have been reported to increase in number, Merck, the developer of the patented Fosamax, motioned for femur fracture lawsuits to be consolidated in a state court but has faced the road to Fosamax Femur Fracture MDL not without obstacles.

While both osteoporosis and osteomalacia may both lead to fractures especially when left unaddressed, their difference lies in the mechanism as to how both diseases work in causing harm to bone health, bone experts say.  With osteoporosis, fully calcified bones or bones that have reached their peak mass, experience loss in mineral density as old bone breaks down faster than the body can create new bone to replace.  Osteomalacia, on the other hand, is an abnormality caused by a defect in the bone building process from calcium and phosphate deficiency or insufficient levels of vitamin D, as was cited by medical journals.

Another difference that distinguishes the two health conditions is their manifestations in people from different age groups.  As osteoporosis is a degenerative disease, it is commonly found in elderly men and postmenopausal women and may manifest through broken bones at the hips or wrist, or compression on the spine, while muscle weakness, achy bone pain, malformed bones or deformities are the major indications of osteomalacia, also known as rickets in children.

 

Proper nutrition are necessary components of preventing or managing muscoskeletal disorders, health experts say, further reckoning how a well-balanced diet rich in calcium, phosphate, and adequate exposure to sunlight may help a great deal in treatment.  People with osteoporosis may also be advised to engage to appropriate exercise-related activities and in severe cases, may be prescribed of bone drugs such as bisphosphonates.  Prior to starting a drug therapy, patients are advised to discuss the benefits and potentially serious health risks that Fosamax and other bone drugs may carry.  The Fosamax Lawsuit Help Center bears information of high ground pertinent to the drug’s side effects and related legal claims.

Sources: courses.washington.edu/bonephys/hyperc

alU/opmal2.html mayoclinic.com/health/osteomalacia/

DS00935/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

ehow.com/facts_5637898_difference-between-osteoporosis-osteomalacia.html

pmj.bmj.com/content/44/514/621.full.pdf nhs.uk/conditions/rickets/pages/

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