In the field of osteoporosis, there is still a lot of catching up to do throughout Europe: almost 85% of women with osteoporosis-related bone fractures do not receive adequate treatment to prevent the recurrence of such fractures in the future.
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones in which bone substance is gradually lost. This makes the bones unstable and, above all, more fragile. Even the smallest impact or falls that become more frequent with age can quickly trigger fractures. Such so-called fragile fractures occur today in about one in three women and one in five men older than 50 years.
According to the latest International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) report, however, in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, between 60% and 85% of women aged 50+ years are affected by fragile fractures. Expressed in statistics, this means that in 2017, for example, up to 2.7 million such fractures occurred in these six European countries.
Particularly important: If a patient has already had an osteoporosis fracture, the risk of suffering another fracture within the next two years is 5 times higher. Therefore, osteoporosis patients require consistent treatment to strengthen bone stability. If left untreated, new fractures can occur, as well as pain and higher therapy costs.
It is not uncommon for complicated fractures to occur, such as hip fractures. These increase above all the risk of permanent restrictions in movement, which considerably affect independent everyday life and the quality of life.
Original source:
International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Report: “Broken bones, broken lives – the fragility fracture crisis in six European countries”