Osteoporosis: An overview

This chapter focuses on the clinical aspects and management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, men, young women, and various forms of secondary osteoporosis. Dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry is an important tool for clinical research, including clinical trials of bisphosphonates and other drugs. There is strong consensus, based on solid clinical trial evidence, that postmenopausal women, and probably older men, who have experienced fragility fractures of the spine and hip are definite candidates for pharmacological therapy, irrespective of other risk factors. Patients with nonhip, nonspine fractures are also at higher risk for fracture and deserve, at least, to be evaluated for other risk factors and as potential candidates for therapy. Finite element analysis of routine CT scans of the hip and spine provides accurate in vivo measurement of skeletal strength. The anticipated availability of abaloparatide and romosozumab will be the first new treatments for osteoporosis