Medical Crossfire®: Osteoporosis: Identifying, Treating, and Coordinating Care for Patients at High Risk

Medical Crossfire®: Osteoporosis: Identifying, Treating, and Coordinating Care for Patients at High Risk is organized by Physicians' Education Resource, LLC (PER).

Release Date: October 31, 2019
Expiration Date: October 31, 2020

Accreditation:
physicians' Education Resource®, LLC, designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #16669, for 1.5 Contact Hours.

Activity Overview:
Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease and is characterized by low bone mass, which leads to reduced bone strength and a higher risk for fracture. Although most commonly seen in postmenopausal women, osteoporosis can also be associated with a range of conditions in both men and women, including chronic kidney disease, any condition causing an estrogen (or testosterone) deficiency, malabsorption disorders, hyperparathyroidism, Alzheimer disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as with treatment with glucocorticoids and other medications. Prevalence in the United States is estimated at 9.9 million individuals, with another 43.1 million having low bone mass or osteopenia. These numbers will continue to expand as baby boomers (now aged 55-73 years) grow older. Despite the recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force to screen all women 65 years or older and any woman younger than 65 years with risk factors, screening rates are abysmal. Even when individuals are appropriately screened and the disease is diagnosed, both adherence to available treatments and clinician follow-up are poor.

During this Medical Crossfire®, an expert multidisciplinary faculty consisting of a geriatrician, an endocrinologist, a rheumatologist, and primary care providers will examine missed opportunities for screening and identify the myriad risk factors for osteoporosis along with the impact of fractures on future quality of life. The faculty will also discuss benefits and safety of long- and short-term treatments as well as strategies to improve adherence. Case presentations will exemplify interpretation of screening data and incorporation of treatment.

Benefits of Participating:
• Expand awareness of patient populations at high risk for osteoporosis
• Increase knowledge of risk factors and comorbidities that contribute to osteoporosis in order to incorporate screenings into routine patient encounters
• Learn how to establish treatment regimens that include disease education in shared decision making in order to maintain adherence
• Gain familiarity with newer treatments as add-on therapy to improve long-term patient outcomes

Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this educational activity, you should be better prepared to:
• Assess best practices for screening and assessment of patients at high risk of osteoporosis
• Evaluate the efficacy and safety of current and developing agents for treatment of patients with osteoporosis
• Apply multidisciplinary patient-centered strategies to take care of patients with or at risk for osteoporosis