Guidelines for diagnosing osteoporosis.

Women who are estrogen deficient have an increased risk of osteoporosis and future fractures. In recent years, improving technology and a consensus on the definition of osteoporosis have made it easier to measure bone density and assess the risk of osteoporosis. Density should be measured at two sites, the lumbar spine and the femoral neck. If only one measurement is possible, the site should be the lumbar spine in women younger than 65 and the femoral neck in women 65 and older. Treatment is recommended if a woman's bone density is more than one standard deviation below the young adult reference value.