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The Underuse of Therapy in the Secondary Prevention of Hip Fractures

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Abstract

There is strong evidence to indicate that individuals who sustain a hip fracture are at a greater risk of developing another. The management of such patients should include efforts to prevent future fractures, including prescribing medications that have been shown to lower hip fracture risk. Such therapies that are currently available include calcium and vitamin D supplementation, alendronic acid and risedronic acid. In addition, there is epidemiological evidence to indicate that estrogen may also decrease the risk of hip fracture. Parathyroid hormone is another agent that has shown promise in this regard and is likely to be available for clinical use in the near future. However, the rates of utilisation of these therapies among patients with hip fractures are low. It is important to emphasise that secondary prevention of hip fractures should be an integral part of the management of individuals who sustain hip fractures.

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There were no sources of funding used to assist in the preparation of this manuscript. There are no potential conflicts of interest that the authors may have that are directly relevant to the contents of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Administration Medical Center, 5000 West National Ave (CC-G), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53295, USA

    Hosam K. Kamel & Edmund H. Duthie

  2. Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

    Hosam K. Kamel & Edmund H. Duthie

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  1. Hosam K. Kamel
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  2. Edmund H. Duthie
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Correspondence to Hosam K. Kamel.

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Kamel, H.K., Duthie, E.H. The Underuse of Therapy in the Secondary Prevention of Hip Fractures. Drugs Aging 19, 1–10 (2002). https://doi.org/10.2165/00002512-200219010-00001

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