RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CROATIAN SOCIETY FOR RHEUMATOLOGY FOR PREVENTION, DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT OF POST-MENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS
Authors:
Božidar Ćurković, Simeon Grazio, Đurđica Babić-Naglić, Branimir Anić, Tonko Vlak, Marino Hanih
Summary
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by loss of bone mass and the structural deterioration of bone tissue leading to increased bone fragility and fractures. Preventive measures for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures include adequate calcium and vitamine D intake, adequate physical activity and reduction of the risk factors can be infl uenced. Currently, measurement of bone mineral density using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is still the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Non-pharmacological therapy is the integral part of the management of osteoporosis. Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates in weekly or more prolonged (monthly) dosing intervals are now the firstline osteoporosis therapy. Oral bisphosphonates show, generally, similar efficacy on vertebral fractures risk reduction. There, might be some differences among bisphosphonates, regarding risk reduction of non-vertebral, hip and glucocortiocoid related fratures. On behalf of Croatian Society of Rheumatology of Croatian Medical Association we propose recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis and management of postmenopausal osteoporosis.