
pmid: 22307391
Osteoporosis causes no symptoms until there is a fracture. Although screening for osteoporosis is recommended for some populations, patients may present with a fragility fracture. Such patients are at high risk for subsequent fractures. Despite this high risk and the presence of generally safe and effective osteoporosis therapy, only a minority of low trauma fracture patients have evaluation and treatment of underlying osteoporosis. A brief summary of the evaluation and medical treatment of the post-fracture patient is provided. Several institutions, integrated health systems, and countries have instituted programs to identify, evaluate, and treat fragility fracture patients. Such programs have had variable success. This article describes some of the programs that work, their cost-effectiveness, and the applicability to the generally non-integrated US health care system. It is clear that better management of the post-fracture patient (and other high-risk patients) will lead to fewer fractures, decreased morbidity and mortality, and long-term cost savings.
Patient Care Team, Absorptiometry, Photon, Recurrence, Secondary Prevention, Disease Management, Humans, Osteoporosis, Risk Assessment, Osteoporotic Fractures
Patient Care Team, Absorptiometry, Photon, Recurrence, Secondary Prevention, Disease Management, Humans, Osteoporosis, Risk Assessment, Osteoporotic Fractures
| citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 9 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
