Update on Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is often a silent disease that reveals itself at the time of a fracture. Assessing risk factors and applying appropriate screening guidelines in the population at risk can potentially decrease the looming high disease burden in the United States. FRAX is a validated tool that can be used to determine 10-year fracture risk to assist in medical decision making. Bone mineral density testing of the hip or spine using DEXA can be used alone or in combination with FRAX to determine patients' risk for fracture and determine if patients are candidates for treatment of osteoporosis.