Postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment guidelines.

BACKGROUND

Several years ago, Osteoporosis Australia published Guidelines for the management of osteoporosis. Since then significant advances in our understanding of the treatment of osteoporosis have been published. The importance of this is heightened as early diagnosis is now possible with precise methods of bone density measurement.

OBJECTIVE

This article presents updated guidelines developed on behalf of Osteoporosis Australia for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis to help general practitioners identify those women at risk and to review current treatment strategies.

DISCUSSION: Osteoporosis and its associated problems are major health concerns in Australia, especially with an ageing population. While important principles of management are still considered to be maximising peak bone mass and prevention of postmenopausal bone loss by oestrogen therapy, new clinical trial data about drugs such as raloxifene and the bisphosphonates have recently become available and the relative role of various agents is gradually becoming clearer.