CME Activity Credit Expired

Welcome to CME Resources. Here you will find educational materials covering treatment, the latest data, and diagnosis of Osteoporosis.

• CME Info
  Accreditation Information and Disclosures.
• Webcast Presentation
  An archived webcast for physicians and medical professionals who treat patients with Osteoporosis.

Target Audience

This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of obstetricians, gynecologists, and primary care physicians involved in the care of patients with osteoporosis.

Statement of Need/Program Overview

In the United States today, more than 10 million people have osteoporosis; another 34 million have low bone mass. Half of all American women 50 years of age and older will suffer an osteoporosis-related bone fracture within their lifetimes. With the aging of the American population, the overall incidence of osteoporosis will increase significantly in the next several years. Along with that increase will be a rise in the costs to our health care system, now at about $14 billion per year. Although many risk factors, such as age, gender, body size, ethnicity, and family history, cannot be altered, numerous preventative measures can be taken to lessen the risk. Unfortunately, although treatments are available, they are not being aggressively implemented by physicians and patients. The goal of this educational activity is to present physicians with up-to-date clinical evidence that demonstrates the role of bone turnover and bone mineral density in fracture risk; differentiate clinical trial results of various bisphosphonates; emphasize the role of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in osteoporosis; and provide practical steps for appropriately assessing, educating, and treating those at risk for osteoporosis.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Define osteoporosis and osteopenia, and describe the medical, sociological, and economic impact of osteoporosis on individual patients and the health care system
• List specific tools recommended to identify patients at greatest risk for osteoporosis, including risk factor screening, clinical assessment, and diagnostic tests
• Explain the significance of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in increased risk for falls and fractures
• Differentiate the clinical trial data related to the benefits of calcium supplementation, hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonate therapy, and other drug therapies
• List practical treatment methods for patients at risk for osteoporosis, including education, lifestyle and dietary changes, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and drug therapy