Although osteoporosis is often described as the ‘silent epidemic’, the alarm bells for a crisis in the management of osteoporotic fractures continue to sound very loudly.
There is currently a high prevalence of osteoporosis and low bone mass in the Irish population, a feature that is set to grow in accordance with our aging population. The consequences of an osteoporotic fracture, particularly a hip fracture, can be bleak, often leading to longer term disability and increased mortality. The challenge of course, is to identify the people at risk, before a fracture occurs, and to implement an appropriate treatment strategy to reduce fracture risk. Given that successful treatment strategies are available, the solution may seem straight-forward. However, current research shows that there is a large treatment gap, with many people at risk not receiving the treatment they need. While there are various factors that contribute to this treatment gap, lack of timely diagnosis is known to play a role.
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