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What is the medical terminology combining form meaning deficient?
-penic means deficient. For instance, osteopenic is an adjective for someone with low bone density.
What is the condition in which the body's bones became weak and break easily?
Fibrous dysplasia, Osteomalacia, Osteoporosis, and Osteopenia are all diseases that cause the thinning of bone. Fibrous dysplasia is a disease that affects one or more bones. During the course of this disease, growths or lesions replace healthy bone with fibrous tissue. This tissue elongates and thins the bone, making it weak and deformed. Osteomalacia is a disease caused by insufficient intake or malabsorption of vitamin D. It leads to soft, deformed bones that may be thin, brittle, and painful. Osteomalacia's affects can sometimes be stopped or reversed by high doses of vitamin D and sunlight. Osteoporosis is a disease marked by an extreme reduction in bone mineral density. This lowered bone mineral density is due to an imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation, usually caused by chronic malnutrition, hormonal defficiencies, medications, and/or diseases. Osteoporosis causes weakness, extreme fragility (increased fracture risk), thin and brittle bones, and occasionally loss of height. Osteoporosis is considered life-threatening and is usually treated with supplemental calcium, vitamin D, biphosphates, hormones, and physically strengthening activity. Osteopenia is another disease marked by low bone mineral density. The bone mineral density of an Osteopenic is not as severely reduced as someone with Osteoporosis, but the patient is highly susceptible to developing Osteoporosis over time. To prevent further bone loss, a doctor often prescribes supplemental calcium, vitamin D, biphosphates, hormone therapy, and/or extra physical activity. There are other bone-thinning diseases but the four above are the most frequently observed.
