Link between hip fracture and stroke highlighted in recent research

Further evidence of the link between hip fractures and risk of stroke in some groups of patients has been reported in Osteoporosis International.
The study used insurance claims data from Taiwan to identify 6,013 people newly diagnosed with hip fracture. Their incidence and risk of stroke was compared to 23,802 people who didn’t have a fracture.
Stroke incidence was found to be 1.69 times higher in people with hip fractures than those without; the risk of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke was especially high. The team involved in the research go as far as to say that hip fractures can be independently associated with an increased risk of developing stroke.
Particularly at risk were men, younger people, those with cardiovascular issues and people taking medication such as diuretics and angiotensin II receptor blockers.
“People who undergo hip replacement surgery should be evaluated for their risk of stroke,” says a spokesperson for Arthritis Research UK. “People who have had this type of surgery and develop pain or swelling in the leg, chest pain, or sudden breathlessness following surgery should seek immediate medical advice.”

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Image credit: Barbara Willi