title: Guidelines for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis for general practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoporosis Australia has been committed to the education of general practitioners and the community with a series of updated guidelines on the management of osteoporosis. Since the last series was published in Australian Family Physician (August 2000), there have been further advances in our understanding of the treatments involved in both prevention of bone loss and the management of established osteoporosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article represents updated guidelines for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis to assist GPs identify those women at risk and to review current treatment strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteoporosis and its associated problems are major health concerns in Australia, especially with an aging population. While important principles of management are still considered to be maximising peak bone mass and preventing postmenopausal bone loss, new clinical trial data about drugs such as the bisphosphonates, raloxifene and oestrogen have recently become available and the relative role of various agents is gradually becoming clearer. The use of long term hormone replacement therapy has mixed risks and benefits that requires individual patient counselling.
authors.affiliation: Betty Byrne Henderson Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Queensland. s.oneill@mailbox.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sambrook
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ebeling
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flicker
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Findlay
authors.forename: Maria Fiatarone
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: Alastair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacLennan
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markwell
authors.forename: Caryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nowson
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pocock
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D019091:Critical Pathways; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior