Undertreatment of osteoporosis following hip fracture in the elderly.
The national Finnish guidelines for medical treatment of hip fracture patients are: osteoporosis medication and the daily concomitant use of vitamin D and calcium supplements. We investigated the post-fracture medical therapy for osteoporosis and the calcium and vitamin D therapy among hip fracture patients in two Finnish hospitals. The pre-fracture osteoporosis medication and use of calcium and vitamin D supplements of the patients were inquired on admission. The patient-specific use of osteoporosis medication and of prescribed calcium and vitamin D therapy during the follow-up time were checked from The Finnish Social Insurance Institution. At the end of the follow-up, those who were alive were inquired about the use of medication at the time. Eight percent of the 223 patients used osteoporosis medication and 8% used prescribed calcium and vitamin D supplements before the fracture. During the follow-up, the figures were 39% (52/133) and 53% (70/133), respectively, and at the end of the follow-up, correspondingly, 25% (29/114) and 44% (50/114). The follow-up time was 19.5-35 months. The post-fracture medical therapy for osteoporosis was insufficient. More effort should be focused on the secondary prevention following hip fracture in order to ensure the recommended treatment of osteoporosis.
Lüthje
Peter
P
Kuusankoski Regional Hospital, Sairaalankuja 2, FI-45750 Kuusankoski, Finland. peter.luthje@pp.inet.fi
Nurmi-Lüthje
Ilona
I
Kaukonen
Juha-Pekka
JP
Kuurne
Salla
S
Naboulsi
Helena
H
Kataja
Matti
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium