More than 353,000 people are hospitalized for hip fractures each year. The total cost in medical bills and lost income resulting from hip fractures is more than $12.6 billion a year or an average of $37,000 per hip fracture. Close to ninety percent of hip fractures are among persons 65 and older. Women over age 65 have a one in five chance of having a hip fracture during their lifetime.

Who is vulnerable to a fragility fracture?

• Age. The rate increases for people 65 and older.
• Gender. Women have two to three times as many hip fractures as men.
• Heredity. A family history of fractures in later life, particularly in Caucasians and Asians.
• A small-boned, slender body.
• Nutrition. A low calcium dietary intake or reduced ability to absorb calcium.
• Personal habits. Smoking or excessive alcohol use.
• Physical impairments. Physical frailty, arthritis, unsteady balance and poor eyesight.
• Mental impairments. Senility, dementia, e.g., Alzheimer's disease.
• Weakness or dizziness from side effects of medication.
  
  

Reducing Your Risk of Fractures

• Get regular exercise. Try walking, swimming, or weight training.
• Make your home safe to avoid accidents.
• Eat foods that are rich in calcium, or take calcium supplements.
  
  

Things to Avoid

• Alcohol is toxic to bones. It is a major cause of bone loss. Heavy drinking can cause osteoporosis even if you have no other risk factors.
• Smoking reduces bone mass. Smoking may also interfere with estrogen levels and cause early menopause.
• Inactivity makes your bones lose strength and become thinner. Over time, thin bones may break. Women who aren't active are at a high risk for osteoporosis.
• Certain medications such as cortisone increase bone loss. They also decrease bone growth. Ask your healthcare provider about any side effects of your medications.
• Protein-rich or salty foods eaten in large amounts may deplete calcium.
• Caffeine increases calcium loss. People who drink a lot of coffee, tea, or colas lose more calcium than those who don't.

Northeast Baptist Hospital is committed to helping prevent fragility falls. Here are some of the steps they take for our patients in the hospital:

• Check vitamin D and calcium levels
• Give 50,000 IU of vitamin D immediately to all elderly patients
• Prescribe calcium (1200 mg daily)
• Prescribe vitamin D (minimum of 1000 IU daily) upon discharge from the hospital
• Refer to Physical Medicine or Physical Therapy for fall-prevention education
• Refer for a home-safety check
• Include a plan to identify causes of osteoporosis, obtain bone density testing, and initiate osteoporosis medications if appropriate