Prevention
Osteoporosis → Hip & other fractures
Prevention requires early detection/treatment of osteoporosis
“Silent disease”: osteoporosis is usually asymptomatic until a fracture occurs
Preventing osteoporotic fractures is the main goal of osteoporosis screening.
With early diagnosis of osteoporosis by assessing bone mineral density (BMD) and with early treatment, more advanced osteoporosis and fractures can be prevented.
- Bone density measurement tests are accurate for detecting osteoporosis and predicting osteoporotic fractures in men & women.
- Screening for low BMD and subsequent treatment can increase BMD and decrease the risk of fractures and fracture-related morbidity and mortality.
For all these reasons, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has long recommended and payers cover (e.g., CPT codes) screening for osteoporosis via BMD assessment to prevent osteoporotic fractures