Since the 60s, the medical community has seen a significant increase in osteoporosis and its attendant morbidity and mortality. Countless hip fractures and deaths have been reported in patients with osteoporosis, especially in the elderly population.
Over the past 20 years, a lot of effort has been placed on preventive methods like addition of calcium to diet, ambulation and use of certain drugs. Finally, now there is a study which shows that the rates of hip fracture and deaths related to osteoporosis are on the decline. In the latest Journal of the American Medical Association (Oct 14, 2009), researchers published their data on declining fractures and death rates in the US. While they do not give the exact cause for this decline, they do praise life style changes and possible use of pharmaceutical medications as possible contributors. Other factors that may have played a role in this decline could be discontinuation of smoking, vitamin D supplementation, a higher emphasis on exercise and restriction on alcohol intake. Further, researchers claim that improved public education and physician awareness of osteoporosis since 1995 have cultivated changes in lifestyle that has led to the decline in hip fractures and death rate.
Hip fractures are not benign and carry a high morbidity and mortality. Each year, 30 percent of individuals who endure hip fractures die the subsequent year, and many experience long-drawn-out functional loss of their limb(s), remain disabled and the economic cost is huge. It is estimated the average cost for a hip fracture in the US can cost upwards of $40,000 in the first year alone.
In the present study, researchers analyzed Medicare data of 786 717 hip fractures from 1985-2005. The data revealed that more than three quarters of hip fractures occurred in women between the ages of 75-84.
While there is no single factor which accounts for the decline in hip fractures and death rate, it is suspected that use of bisphophonates may be the key. Many short term studies on bisphophonates have shown these drugs to strengthen bone and prevent bone loss. In addition, there have been tremendous improvements in surgical management of patients with hip fractures over the past 2 decades and this probably accounts for the low death rates. Moreover, there is a better awareness of morbidity of hip fracture and aggressive discharge to rehabilitation centers may have contributed to improved outcomes.
The research also showed that people who develop hip fractures usually have other concomitant disorders like congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary obstructive lung disease and diabetes. Clearly the data are refreshing and perhaps changes in life style do make a difference when it comes to health.
