Prophylactic approach for asymptomatic post-menopausal women:: Osteoporosis

To consider what a correct preventive approach for osteoporosis should be in the management of the asymptomatic postmenopausal woman. Literature review and opinions on this issue shared by a group of professionals with wide clinical experience in health care for peri- and post-menopausal women. There is agreement that osteoporosis combines most of the ideal requirements for the application of a preventive strategy. The natural evolution of this pathology leads to serious events, fractures, but it provides various opportunities for prevention. Osteoporosis can be avoided and in particular, fractures due to bone fragility and their consequences should be avoided. Nowadays, there are different courses of action (pharmacological or otherwise) with proven effectiveness for the prevention osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. However, long-term action is required for a broad segment of the population, so a certain strategy is necessary to guide clinical decisions for different profiles of women. There is little data in the literature to justify a different preventive approach, depending on the presence or absence of vasomotor symptoms, but clinical experience shows that their absence is not associated with a lower osteoporosis risk. Different strategies have been tried for the prevention of osteoporosis and its complications and some of them might be effective, but there is no analysis with conclusive results. A preventive strategy for osteoporosis should be included in the management of asymptomatic post-menopausal women, because this is an avoidable pathology and the absence of vasomotor symptoms does not reduce the risk of its development. Nevertheless, a well-designed cost-benefit analysis is needed to justify the implementation of any strategy at a community level, because adverse effects and economic cost could exceed the benefits obtained in low fracture risk populations. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.