Osteoporosis - new treatments and updates

With the aging of the population, low bone mass states will be an increasing clinical issue for both men and women. More than 2 million osteoporotic fractures occur annually in the United States and it is estimated that nearly half of American Caucasian women over the age of 50 will experience at least one fragility fracture in their lifetime. Identifying subjects at increased risk for fracture and defining rational treatment strategies that balance risks with therapeutic benefits promises to be a major focus in the decade ahead. This review focuses on several areas of active interest in osteoporosis including the use of fracture assessment tools that help quantify time sensitive fracture risks by using patient specific data, advances in bone imaging and the relationship between structure and strength, new and future drug treatments for osteoporosis, and several unusual adverse clinical syndromes linked to the use of bisphosphonates. The topics chosen for this review highlight the increased understanding of bone structure and aging and how this knowledge can help clinicians in their treatment of osteoporosis.