Emőke Šteňová, Boris Šteňo, Robert Brnka
Primary osteoporosis associated with menopause and aging is by far the most frequent metabolic bone disease. However, there are many patients with secondary osteoporosis due to identifiable causal factors, which determine the progression of bone changes, and independent of age and estrogens deficiency. The aim of this review is to summarize the most frequent factors of secondary osteoporosis and to make a list of the most useful screening tests to identify patients with occult osteoporosis and detect these disorders. Identification of patients with the disease is important regarding the prevention and treatment, because due to different pathophysiologic mechanisms the medical intervention is usually different from general approach used in primary osteoporosis.