Men and women who have had cardiovascular disease have a greater risk of hip fractures than their peers, says a study. Researchers analyzed nearly 16,000 pairs of twins and found that stroke survivors had a fivefold increase in hip fracture rates and those who had heart failure had a fourfold increase in fracture rates. The more recent the diagnosis of heart failure or stroke, the higher the rate of hip fractures. The reason for the association is not yet clear, but the researchers suggest it could be due to genetic factors, hormones, chronic inflammation, or a greater tendency to fall.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 21, 2009