Osteoporosis: now and the future

Introduction
Osteoporosis is an emerging medical and socioeconomic threat characterised by a systemic impairment of bone mass, strength, and microarchitecture, which increases the propensity of fragility fractures (figure 1).1 Bone-mineral density (BMD) can be assessed with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and osteoporosis is defined by a T score of less than 2·5, ie, more than 2·5 standard deviations below the average of a young adult. About 40% of white postmenopausal women are affected by osteoporosis and, with an ageing population, this number is expected to steadily increase in the near future.2, 3 and 4 The lifetime fracture risk of a patient with osteoporosis is as high as 40%, a