People with Alzheimer's disease are at increased risk of hip fracture and of mortality after hip fracture

Evid Based Nurs 2011;14:78-79 doi:10.1136/ebn1160 Kilian Rapp

Department of Clinical Gerontology, Stuttgart and Institute of Epidemiology, Ulm University, Stuttgart, GermanyCorrespondence to Kilian Rapp
Department of Clinical Gerontology, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Auerbachstr 110, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany; kilian.rapp{at}rbk.deCommentary on: Baker NL, Cook MN, Arrighi HM, et al. Hip fracture risk and subsequent mortality among Alzheimer's disease patients in the United Kingdom, 1988–2007. Age Ageing 2011; 40: 49– 54.

? People with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are a high-risk population for hip fractures.

? Mortality after a hip fracture is particularly high in such people. Therefore, prevention and management of potential causes like delirium and an early rehabilitation should be priorities in AD patients after a hip fracture.

AD as well as hip fractures increase exponentially with age. Both diseases are frequent and have a considerable effect on the person's function. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between AD and hip fractures. The objective of the study by Baker and colleagues was to evaluate whether AD is an independent risk factor for hip fractures. Furthermore, the study compared mortality after hip fracture in people with and without AD.

People with AD were identified by (1) diagnosis ‘AD’ …

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