New osteoporosis screening guidelines maintain recommendations for women 65 and older to get bone density tests but raise fresh concerns about overdiagnosis and the reliability of risk assessments for younger postmenopausal women, according to an updated evidence review from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
According to 2018 guidelines from the USPSTF, women aged 65 and older should be screened for osteoporosis using bone density testing, and postmenopausal women younger than 65 with an increased risk of fractures should also be screened using a clinical risk assessment tool.
The updated recommendation upholds the former guidelines.
Mortality Unchanged, Overdiagnosis Concerns Emerge
The primary purpose of screening for osteoporosis is to identify individuals who may benefit from medications that can reduce the risk of fractures resulting from low-energy trauma, such as falling from a standing height….