Hip Fractures Kills
Laurence T. Gayao, MD, ED staff Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic & Spine Hospital Arlington
“Hip fractures kills” said Dr. Erika J. Mitchell in her speech at the annual meeting of the Clinical Orthopedic Society. She pointed out that the average person is however more concerned about cancer than hip fracture.
The 30 day chance (30 day mortality) of dying after a hip fracture is 9 percent. It rises to 17 percent if the patient has already an acute medical problem. If the patient has heart failure while being treated for a hip fracture the 30 day chance of dying goes up by whooping 65 percent and if one has pneumonia the chance dying is about 43 percent.
According Dr. Mitchell because of fragility of the bones 50 percent women and 33 percent of men will have fractures in their lifetimes. More people will have fractures than heart attacks, cancers or strokes. In the US there are at least 258,000 hospital admissions for hip fractures among people 65 and older and 95% of this is due to falls.
Risk factors to hip fracture:
1) Age: fractures increases with age, over 80% of people hospitalized for fractures are 65 years and older.
2) Gender: Three fourth of people with hip fractures are women among 65 years and older
3) Heredity: Family history of osteoporosis (Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture)
4) Nutrition: Under weight and poor nutrition, diet low in vitamin D and Calcium.
5) Lifestyle: Smoking, regular use of alcohol and lack of exercise may weaken the bone.
Other factors that pose greater risk to fall among the elderly, muscle weakness, poor equilibrium, poor coordination, poor eyesight, dementia, senility and taking multiple medications that can affect balance and strength cause dizziness and drowsiness.
Prevention:
At any age one should consciously be concerned about maintaining and improving bone strength and prevent hip fractures.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle:
1) No smoking and avoid use of alcohol and have an overall healthy diet to maintain ones health.
2) Proper nutrition to maintain proper weight, foods rich in calcium and vitamin D.
3) Exercise: Moderate exercise can slow bone loss and maintain muscle strength and helps maintain balance and coordination. Exercise such as swimming, dancing, climbing stairs, jogging, hiking, weight training (weight-bearing exercises) and joint range of motion exercises are highly recommended. Weight training increased bone calcium, astronauts in weightless state in space loss calcium in their bone so the have to do exercises to simulate weight training. It is very important do exercises to help maintain lower body strength and flexibility as one gets older. Remember the old rule what you don’t use you lose.
Home safety to prevent falls:
1) Good lighting
2) Remove all clutter that may cause falls.
3) Safety features like providing bars to hold especially for elderly in the bathrooms or going down steps.
Medications: Among elderly with multiple medications both prescribed and over the counter, periodically review them with your physician. Remember the use of alcohol with some medications potentiates their side effects.
It is a fact of life that getting old is inevitable but we could live a healthy lifestyle to keep from living a life of misery as we age and of course prevent premature death. Don’t wait till tragedy occurs plan on aging gracefully. It is all in your hands.
Your fitness Doc.
