DESCRIPTION:
In this introductory text molecular, biochemical, and clinical aspects of osteoporosis are blended in four easy to read sections: the molecular and cellular bone environment, determinants of peak bone mass, pathophysiology of the aging skeleton, and clinical aspects of osteoporosis. By combining clinical and basic science, the editors enable a more complete understanding of the complexity of osteoporosis. They also hope that readers will gain an appreciation of the research efforts still required to make prevention of this condition a more widespread reality. The editors"" objective is met since they relate, in a general way, the clinical presentation of osteoporosis to its biochemical basis. This is a refreshing change from specialized volumes on bone cell biology which serve as reference texts for those studying bone metabolism. The intended audience includes students and doctors considering a career related to metabolic bone disease, primary care physicians, geriatricians, rheumatologists, and endocrinologists. Indeed it is written at a level appropriate to these various groups. The editors both practice academic medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. The contributors include international clinicians and scientists dedicated to advancing the understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis. Most contributors are affiliated with Canadian hospitals and research facilities, while the minority represent similar institutions in the U.S. The editors provide readers a comprehensive summary of bone development skeletal homeostasis and disorders of bone metabolism. In the final section contributors discuss how these processes relate to the clinicalapplications of biochemical markers of bone turnover, radiological assessment of osteoporosis, and the various agents used to prevent and treat osteoporosis. The figures and tables used to illustrate various bone processes and pathways are especially detailed and help facilitate understanding of the text. The references are very current, especially those used to relate clinical trials employing various pharmacologic agents used to treat osteoporosis. Moreover, the index is very complete and helpful in finding a specific topic discussed in the book. This primer is a useful and concise introduction to the manner in which osteoporosis relates clinically to its molecular biochemical basis.
