“A woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis
is equal to her risk of
breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined”.1

Umbrella
What may the Osteoporosis and Fractures Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Breaking A Hip
  • Osteoporotic Fractures

Osteoporosis

Is there an association between osteoporosis and fractures?

The International Menopause Society note:

“Osteoporosis is a common disease which increases with age and leads to an increased risk of fractures. Approximately 70% of women have osteoporosis of the hip, lumbar spine or wrist by the age of 80. Other factors, such as low body mass index (BMI), smoking, and alcohol, among others, may reduce bone density and strength and increase the risk of fracture”.2

Fractures

What is the association between osteoporosis and fractures?

In What Is Osteoporosis? About Osteoporosis the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) explain:

“Around the world, one in three women and one in five men over the age of fifty will suffer a broken bone due to osteoporosis”.3

Osteoporosis and Fractures

Falls

How common are falls?

In Preventing Falls and Broken Bones the (United States) Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) note:

“Each year about a third of all persons over age 65 will fall. Many of these falls result in a broken bone, often the hip or wrist. Broken bones at any age can be painful, difficult to heal, and cause life-long challenges affecting your activities and independence. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you fall, worry about falling, or feel unsteady”.4

Risk Comparison

What is the risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis, compared to the risk of breast or prostate cancer?

In Are You At Risk? [+ Video: Risk Factors] the BHOF also note:

“A woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis is equal to her risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined. And a man age 50 or older is more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than he is to get prostate cancer”.5

Hormone Therapy

Can hormone therapy (HT) lower the risk of fractures?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published July 2022, the North American Menopause Society note:

“Hormone therapy keeps your bones strong by preserving bone density and decreasing your risk of osteoporosis and fractures. If preserving bone density is your only concern, and you do not have bothersome hot flashes, other treatments may be recommended instead of HT”.6

On page two in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause first published online 10 June 2022, two of the recommendations are:

  • “In addition, HRT has been shown to have an effective role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates are considered as first-line options for most patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis due to their broad spectrum of anti-fracture efficacy. HRT may be considered as an additional alternative option, particularly in younger postmenopausal women with menopausal symptoms who are at increased risk of fractures.
  • HRT is considered as first-line intervention for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause (40–45 years old)”.7

Health Care Provider

What if I think I am at risk for fractures?

If you think you are at risk for fractures, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

Health Topics A-Z

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In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Are You At Risk? Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/bone-basics/are-you-at-risk/ Accessed: 12 November 2023
  2. Maintaining Health and Preventing Disease After the Menopause: Reducing the Risks of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis Post Menopause. 2014:3. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-leaflet-english.pdf Accessed: 12 November 2023
  3. What Is Osteoporosis? About Osteoporosis. International Osteoporosis Foundation https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/patients/about-osteoporosis Accessed: 12 November 2023
  4. Preventing Falls and Broken Bones. Last Reviewed: 21 September 2022. Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/patients/fracturesfall-prevention/ Accessed: 12 November 2023
  5. Are You At Risk? Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/bone-basics/are-you-at-risk/ Accessed: 12 November 2023
  6. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits. July 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 12 November 2023
  7. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 12 November 2023
Topic Last Updated: 12 March 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 12 November 2023

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