Secondary Osteoporosis - Separation from Primary Osteoporosis

Secondary osteoporosis is caused by a multiplicity of different diseases and may be a result of drug intake. The most common forms are glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and osteoporosis associated with endocrine or rheumatic disorders. In contrast, primary osteoporosis is simply the form seen in elderly persons -in women earlier, past menopause, than in men. Often, the pathogenesis of primary osteoporosis is difficult to separate from secondary osteoporosis, underlining the necessity of an exact differential diagnosis, which is a prerequisite for a causal and efficient therapy.