Recognition of women at risk for fracture and intervention with fast-acting therapies.

Fractures can be a devastating outcome of osteoporosis, a disease that disproportionately affects postmenopausal women. Once a patient sustains a fragility fracture, the risk of future fractures quickly increases, providing compelling rationale for identifying patients at risk and initiating treatment that works rapidly. Comprehensive risk assessment beyond bone mineral density measurement is needed to identify women for further clinical assessment and intervention. Effective management of osteoporosis can improve the long-term health of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. A number of oral therapies have demonstrated a rapid onset of fracture risk reduction. Risedronate has shown significant reductions in vertebral and nonvertebral fracture risk after 6 months and alendronate after 1 year of therapy. Teriparatide also has demonstrated both vertebral and nonvertebral fracture efficacy and should be considered an effective therapeutic