Osteoporosis: Protecting bone mass with fundamentals and drug therapy

Beyond the obvious clinical signs of damage, fracture in older persons inva riably is a sign of osteoporosis onset. This prevalent disease of older age , however, is preventable and treatable. Because no agent or exercise regim en can reverse osteoporosis, proactive physicians can help patients prolong osteoporosis onset and lower the risk of fracture incidence by creating a preventive regimen that employs exercise diet, vitamin D and calcium supple mentation, and when, necessary, administration of pharmacologies including estrogen, bisphosphonates, calcitonin-salmon, and the new selective estroge n receptor modulator.