title: FRAX and the assessment of the risk of developing a fragility fracture.
abstract: Osteoporosis is common and the health and financial   cost of fragility fractures is considerable. The burden of cardiovascular   disease has been reduced dramatically by identifying and targeting   those most at risk. A similar approach is potentially possible in   the context of fragility fractures. The World Health Organization   created and endorsed the use of FRAX, a fracture risk assessment   tool, which uses selected risk factors to calculate a quantitative,   patient-specific, ten-year risk of sustaining a fragility fracture.   Treatment can thus be based on this as well as on measured bone   mineral density. It may also be used to determine at-risk individuals,   who should undergo bone densitometry. FRAX has been incorporated   into the national osteoporosis guidelines of countries in the Americas,   Europe, the Far East and Australasia. The United Kingdom National   Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence also advocates its   use in their guidance on the assessment of the risk of fragility   fracture, and it may become an important tool to combat the health   challenges posed by fragility fractures.
authors.affiliation: Cheltenham General Hospital, Sandford Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7AN, UK.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shabani
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Uzoigwe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shoaib
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moqsith
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors