12 Recommendations for Osteoporosis Treatment

Shared decision making should be employed in deciding on the best course of treatment for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, experts say.This advice comes from the authors of the 2016 guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology. A key to successful treatment, they write, is a sound treatment plan embraced by both doctor and patient."It is incumbent upon the clinician to provide this information to patients in a manner that is fully understood, and it is equally important to learn from the patient about cultural beliefs, previous treatment experiences, fears and concerns. With effective risk communication, the clinician and the patient are both privy to the same information. This is the first step toward shared decision-making,  a process by which a management plan is developed with active patient participation," write Pauline M. Camacho, M.D., FACE, and colleagues in the guidelines.Patient-doctor communication isn’t easy, they write. Risks that may seem trivial to a doctor, may not be so trivial to a patient.In this slideshow, we highlight some of the key recommendations for diagnosing osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk in postmenopausal women.

References:

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis – 2106. Endocrine Practice. September 2016. https://www.aace.com/files/postmenopausal-guidelines.pdf