How should this model help in counseling patients and making decisions?
Models could promote awareness of the need for treatment among overlooked women in their 60s who have a number of risk factors but no clinically apparent osteoporosis (i.e. T-score not <-2.5). Fracture models appear to have the greatest value in solving the common clinical conundrum of osteopenia in healthy, early postmenopausal women. Giving a patient her absolute risk and discussing risk reduction expected from treatment in an easily understandable context enriches the quality and accuracy of information both clinicians and patients use for making decisions.
