Mrs. L is a 63-year-old woman who reports constant back pain.
Further inquiry into her medical history revealed that over the
past 3 years, she has suffered fractures of her femur and wrist
after minor falls. She experienced menopause at age 49. Mrs. L has
a secretarial job, drives to work, and she “does not have time for
exercise.” She reports that she consumes 8 to 10 cups of coffee a
day and has been a smoker most of her adult life. She has not seen
her physician recently nor had a recommended bone density test
because of the time and cost involved.