Postmenopausal osteoporosis: facing the challenge of choosing a therapeutic strategy

Abstract

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a chronic and progressive disease associated with low peak bone mass or a fast and persistent loss of bone mass as a consequence of endogenous estrogen deficiency and aging, and it is an underdiagnosed and undertreated disease worldwide. At present, there is a wide range of drugs available for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, with appropriate treatments for each phase of this stage of a woman’s life. All factors that may increase the risk of bone fragility fracture should be considered at the time of patient assessment. These include age, existing comorbidities, concomitant treatments, risk of falling, family history of fractures or recent or past personal history of fractures, and the results of bone mineral density assessment. In those patients at high risk or imminent risk of fracture, it is recommended to start treatment with an anabolic agent followed by an anticatabolic agent, in order to achieve an immediate reduction of fracture risk. Finally, an adequate adherence to treatment over time will allow achieving the greatest effectiveness of the proposed therapy, which is the reduction of bone fragility fracture events.