Summary

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• The goal of diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis is to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures.

• Every patient diagnosed with an osteoporotic (or fragility) fracture should be diagnosed with and treated for osteoporosis.

• Prevention of osteoporotic fractures is best accomplished through development of high peak bone mass in every patient and through the prevention of accelerated bone loss later in life. Both of these goals are best accomplished through adequate weight bearing exercise, calcium, and vitamin D intake, among other interventions.

• Reducing risk of falls plays a substantial role in osteoporotic fracture reduction.

• Using FRAX with or without BMD determination helps us choose the patients at highest risk for fracture, allowing us to initiate treatment to mitigate their risk of fracture.

Links to the National Osteoporosis Foundation website and the University of Michigan Health System Clinical Guideline on Osteoporosis are contained in the References section.