Osteoporosis has devastating potential. It’s a major cause of fragility fractures, and strongly linked to hip fractures. In 2007 alone, approximately 27,000 Canadians suffered hip fractures. It is estimated that 50% of women that sustain a hip fracture lose the ability to live independently and 20% of them will require long-term nursing home care. More alarming, of those women that fracture their hip, 1-in-4 will die within five years.

Despite the prevalence of fragility fractures and the knowledge that fractures predict future fractures, fewer than 20% of women and 10% of men receive therapies to prevent further fractures. Fragility fractures are one of the consequences of osteoporosis yet, after a fragility fracture, 79% of patients receive no diagnosis or treatment for osteoporosis, only 15.4% of patients are prescribed treatment, and only 5.5% receive a diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Example Case Study:

Mrs. Smith is an active grandmother in good overall health. Yet, she complains of worsening mild-to-moderate mid-back pain. She takes a multivitamin daily and acetaminophen as needed. How would you approach this at a clinical level? How would you screen for vertebral fractures or risk of falls? What other screening for osteoporosis risk is recommended?

We can help you answer these questions. Through our Osteoporosis e-learning course, you’ll gain access to great osteoporosis management tools and resources; as well as some “tricks of the trade” for a practical, evidence-based clinical approach. Improve your assessment and recognition of osteoporosis, including awareness of risk factors such as fragility fractures and how to use a fracture risk assessment tool.

Let your patients know you’ve got their back – as well as pelvic girdles, femurs and vertebrae. Access this free, accredited osteoporosis course just in time for Osteoporosis Awareness Month.