Review article

Rational Screening of Patients for Osteoporosis

Iva Žagar

Abstract

Osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures represent a significant public health problem in Western countries because they cause pain, disability, and increased morbidity and mortality.
Increasing age is one of the biggest risks for osteoporosis. According to numerous epidemiological studies, it can be concluded that 50% of women and 20% of men over the age of 50 will experience at least one osteoporotic fracture, so prevention is the basis of treatment and prevention of disability. Each patient requires an individual approach where it is necessary to consider the risk factors for the occurrence of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. Risk factors that we cannot influence are old age, female gender and genetic predispositions. The goal of rational screening is to identify people with an increased risk of fracture due to minor trauma, for whom timely intervention would minimize that risk. Approaches to bone mineral density (BMD) screening vary from country to country, in part because of cost and questions about the effectiveness of a broad population screening policy. Assessment of bone mineral density in premenopausal women is not done routinely, although it is necessary to recognize women with risk factors and prevent osteoporotic fractures.

Keywords

early screening of osteoporosis; risk factors,; osteoporotic fractures

Hrčak ID:

291553

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/291553

Publication date:

17.1.2023.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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