title: Management of severe osteoporosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe osteoporosis represents a disease of high mortality and morbidity. Recognition of what constitutes and causes severe osteoporosis and aggressive intervention with pharmacological agents with evidence to reduce fracture risk are outlined in this review.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review is a blend of evidence obtained from literature searches from PubMed and The National Library of Medicine (USA), clinical experience and the author's opinions. The review covers the recognition of what constitutes severe osteoporosis, and provides up-to-date references on this sub-set of high risk patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe osteoporosis can be classified by using measurements of bone densitometry, identification of prevalent fractures, and, knowledge of what additional risk factors contribute to high fracture risk. Once recognized, the potential consequences of severe osteoporosis can be mitigated by appropriate selection of pharmacological therapies and modalities to reduce the risk for falling.
authors.affiliation: a University of Colorado Health Sciences Center , Colorado Center for Bone Research , Lakewood , CO , USA.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Management of severe osteoporosis; pharmacological therapy of severe osteoporosis; severe osteoporosis; treatment of high risk osteoporotic patients