Researchers determine when women should be retested for osteoporosis

Women who have been diagnosed with brittle bones may benefit from a prescription to buy Fosamax. However, for those who have been shown to have healthy bones or slight risk factors for osteoporosis, it may be possible to delay further testing for several years, according to a new study.

Bone mineral density testing is generally recommended for all women over the age of 65. However, there are few guidelines to indicate when women should be retested if the initial screening reveals that they have mild to moderate osteopenia, which is characterized by a modest loss of bone mineral density.

The researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that their study revealed that it takes 16.8 years for 10 percent of women with normal bone density to progress to osteoporosis. For women with mild osteopenia, it took 17.3 years.

Therefore, women with normal to slightly diminished bone density should be retested again for osteoporosis within 15 years, the researchers concluded in their report.

Knowing when it is appropriate to retest women for osteoporosis could help doctors make more accurate diagnoses and determine which patients will benefit from a prescription to buy Fosamax.