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Links to Definitions Below
(link to first definition beginning with selected letter)
A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / J / K / L / M / N / O / P / Q / R / S / T / U / V / W / X / Y / Z
Absorptiometry: Absorption of radiation (generally X-rays) within a body tissue.
Bilateral oophorectomy: Surgical removal of both ovaries.
Bone mass: The amount of mineral (mostly calcium) present in bone; also referred to as bone mineral density. In general, the higher the mineral content in the bones, the stronger the bones.
Bone mineral density (BMD): The amount of mineral (mostly calcium) present in bone; also referred to as bone mass. In general, the more BMD, the stronger the bones.
Bone mineral density test: Use of X-ray, photon-beam (light particles), ultrasound, and computer-imaging technology to detect osteoporosis at various sites in the skeleton.
Calcium: An essential mineral found in many foods. It is needed for healthy teeth and bones, to maintain a normal heartbeat, and to maintain the normal function of the nerves and muscles. Women can get the calcium they need from their diet or from calcium supplements.
Calcium supplement: A pill or tablet that provides additional calcium if a woman is not getting enough from her diet.
Computed tomography: A painless procedure that produces cross-sectional images or "slices" of organs in the body. A computer converts these "slices" into a detailed picture of the part of the body that is being examined.
Corticosteroids: Drugs that are often used to reduce inflammation in tissues in the body; long-term use can cause osteoporosis.
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA): A bone mineral density test to diagnose osteoporosis. Regarded as one of the most effective imaging tests for bone density, DEXA can detect bone loss of as little as 1% in the spine, hip, or wrist.
Endometrial hyperplasia: An overgrowth in the uterine lining (endometrium). It can cause abnormal menstrual bleeding and can become precancerous.
Estradiol, 17-ß: A form of estrogen often used in estrogen therapy, such as MENOSTAR®. It is similar to the estrogen produced by the ovaries.
Estrogen: One of the hormones that aids the development of female secondary sex traits (such as breast development); plays an important role in reproduction. Human estrogen is produced primarily in the ovaries of women. A significant drop in estrogen production after menopause can help cause osteoporosis.
Estrogen therapy (ET): Used to replace estrogen lost as a result of menopause, either natural or following trauma or surgical removal of the ovaries. ET relieves post-menopausal symptoms, such as dryness of the vagina and hot flushes, and prevents osteoporosis.
Female hormones: Estrogen and progesterone are the two major female hormones. They are produced primarily in the ovaries in women and play an important role in pregnancy and reproduction.
First-pass effect: The process by which medicine passes through the liver before going into the bloodstream.
Fracture: A bone break. In osteoporosis the common sites for a fracture are the spinal column, hip, or wrist.
Hormone: A chemical substance produced by a gland that mediates activities in other parts of the body. Hormones travel throughout the bloodstream to act on target organs and regulate their activity.
Hormone therapy (HT): Treatment to replace vital hormones a woman’s body no longer produces in adequate amounts. HT is used to alleviate the short-term symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and the long-term, potentially life-threatening health effects of menopause, such as an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Hypoestrogenism (hypoestrogenemia): Lower than normal estrogen levels, as in menopause.
Hysterectomy: Surgical removal of the uterus.
Low Bone Mass (osteopenia): Mild bone loss indicated by a bone density that is between 1.0 and 2.5 standard deviations below the average for a healthy young adult; indicates a person is at risk for developing osteoporosis.
Menopausal symptoms: Symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness that accompany natural or surgical menopause. These symptoms may be experienced within days—or hours—after a hysterectomy.
Menopause: The end of menstruation; usually occurs naturally between ages 45 and 55 when the follicles in the ovaries stop producing eggs and estrogen production diminishes, causing the symptoms associated with menopause. Menopause can occur at any age after the surgical removal of the ovaries or because of trauma.
Menstrual cycle: The repeating cycle of change in the membrane lining (endometrium) of the uterus. The endometrium sheds during menstruation. It then re-grows, thickens, is kept for several days throughout ovulation, and sheds at the next menstruation. The average length of the cycle, from the first day of bleeding of one cycle to the first of another, is 28 days. However, the length and character of the cycle vary greatly among individual women.
Menstrual period (menstruation): The days that a woman bleeds due to the shedding of the endometrium at the end of the menstrual cycle. A period lasts an average of 5 days.
Microgram (mcg): A unit of measure, one-millionth of a gram or one-thousandth of a milligram.
Milligram (mg): A unit of measure, one-thousandth of a gram.
Natural menopause: A natural part of aging that occurs most commonly between 45–55, but which may occur naturally either earlier or later (see menopause).
Normal Bone Mass: Bone Density is within 1 standard deviation of the average for a healthy young adult.
Oophorectomy: Surgical removal of one or both of the ovaries.
Osteopenia: Mild bone loss shown by a bone density that is between 1.0 and 2.5 standard deviations below the average for a healthy young adult; indicates a person is at risk for developing osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis: A disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break; can accompany aging, particularly in women. It is marked by the development of small holes in the bone. It occurs most frequently in women who have gone through menopause resulting in decreased estrogen levels.
Patch (transdermal medication): A means of administering medication through the skin. This technique is often used in the administration of estrogen via a patch.
Pelvic exam: A physician’s examination of a woman’s reproductive tract. Once a woman is over 18, it should be done once a year. The pelvic examination is used to discover defects or diseases of the reproductive tract.
Perimenopause: The 2- to 10-year period before menopause when a woman’s supply of estrogen starts to decline or fluctuate. The hormone supply doesn’t stop suddenly, but it declines enough to sometimes cause irregular periods and symptoms such as vaginal dryness, frequent urination, and hot flushes.
Postmenopause: Refers to when a woman has not had a period for more than 12 months and absence of menstrual periods cannot be attributed to any medical condition.
Progesterone: A hormone found in a woman’s body that helps prepare the uterus for pregnancy.
Progestin: A synthetic form of the important female hormone progesterone. Progestin is used in hormone therapy.
Standard deviation: A mathematical calculation showing the variation or difference between measurement and the average it is compared to. A T-score indicates the standard deviation or difference between a person’s BMD and that of a healthy young adult.
Surgical menopause: The onset of menopause that occurs soon after the surgical removal of the ovaries in a woman who is still menstruating.
Symptoms of menopause: Symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness that accompany natural or surgical menopause. These symptoms may be experienced within days—or hours—after a hysterectomy.
T-score/Z-score: The results of diagnostic tests run to determine your BMD. The T-score measures your bone strength and likelihood of getting osteoporosis compared to a 30-year-old healthy adult. The Z-score compares your BMD to an average for people your own age.
Transdermal therapy or medication (the patch): A means of administering medications through the skin. This technique is often used in the administration of estrogen via a patch.
Uterine lining (endometrium): The lining of the uterus. The endometrium becomes thicker as the menstrual cycle advances in preparation for a fertilized egg. If no fertilization occurs, the endometrium is shed with each menstrual flow.
Uterus: A thick, pear-shaped organ located in the abdominal cavity of women. It is lined with a layer of cells (endometrium) that respond to the varying hormonal stimulation of the menstrual cycle. The uterus holds and nourishes the developing fetus during pregnancy. At childbirth the muscles of the uterus contract and force the baby out of the mother’s body.
Vasomotor: Relating to, causing, or regulating constriction or dilation of blood vessels.
