[Osteoporosis in patients admitted to an internal medicine service of a university general hospital].
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the incidence of osteoporosis and epidemiological factors in patients admitted to an Internal Medicine Service of a University General Hospital in Madrid, Spain. We also took into account the reasons for admission, associated diseases, and the preventive and therapeutic diagnostic implications.


METHODS
The analytical, descriptive, retrospective and transversal study of one hundred patients over fifty years of age admitted to an internal medicine service during 1997, obtaining in addition to the clinical discharge report, epidemiological data with regard to the radiological diagnosis of osteoporosis, the reason for admission, past history, the prevention and treatment of the initial complaint as well as the osteoporosis previous diagnosis.


RESULTS
26% of those patients included in the survey had radiologic criteria of osteoporosis although only in 1 per cent of them had osteoporosis been diagnosed previously. The main risk factors, apart from the age and sex, are the associated illnesses which cause malnutrition and immobilization, and the use of drugs, especially heparin.


CONCLUSIONS
Osteoporosis is a condition common in patients above 50 especially women, who are admitted to an Internal Medicine Service. A quarter of those patients admitted have osteoporosis. Very few are diagnosed and treated. In this group of patients apart from the habitual risk factors, are added those for the associated disease generally chronic, and the treatment they receive. During their stay in the hospital osteoporotic patients are three times more likely to receive heparin and other drugs which aggravate osteoporotic, than non osteoporotic patients. For that reason the risk of fractures is greater and the need for prospective diagnostic studies is even more necessary in this group of patients.
López-Herce Cid
J A
JA
Servicio de Medicina Interna II, Hospital General Universitario, Gregorio Marañón, Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid.
del Castillo Rueda
A
A
Teigell García
L
L
Garrido Cantarero
G
G
de Portugal Alvarez
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology