Identify Fracture Risk – Prevent Fractures

Tomorrow I am at the 2014 National Osteoporosis Foundation meeting.  Actually the name “National Prevent Fractures Organization” would better explain our goals.  We don’t care about Osteoporosis as much as we care about Preventing Fractures.

DXA and T-score  test results of “osteoporosis” only identify about 15% of the persons who will fracture.  How can we identify those persons with “osteopenia” who will fracture?  We use FRAX and Vertebral Fracture Assessment (VFA).  My Poster # 18 tomorrow and Friday documents how adding VFA to DXA identifies additional persons at high risk for Fractures.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2000 identified “Clinical Osteoporosis” as those individuals at High Risk for Fracture.  If we identify those individuals at high risk, and treat them, we can Prevent Fractures!

My poster documents testing 941 individuals with DXA and VFA.  By DXA alone we identified 420 patients at high risk.  Adding VFA to DXA identified an additional 301 patients at high risk.  Big difference.

As an orthopedic surgeon I have treated many thousands of fractures.  Not one of my patients was ever happy to have a fracture.  Every one of my patients would have been happier if she could have Prevented her Fracture.

You can prevent fractures with Calcium, Vitamin D3, Protein, and Exercises for Strength and Balance.  Sometimes you could also need medications.

Get a Complete Bone Health Evaluation.  Take Control.  Prevent Fractures.

Jay Ginther, MD

Categorised in: Bone Health, Osteoporosis