Elder Law

Broken Hips May Increase Risk of Stroke

By Levin & Perconti

Many senior citizens face hip problems. A lifetime of work typically takes its toll on individual bones?joints are particularly susceptible to problems because of the continual movement and stress on the area. It is important for many nursing home residents to take special care that they avoid hip injury caused by slips and falls.

According to MedlinePlus there is even more reason for seniors to pay close attention to their hips?broken hips may increase the risk of stroke. A new study was just released which showed that patients with broken hips were 50% more likely to have a stroke within the next year. More research is to be conducted before the cause of the link is identified. One potential reason for the connection was the psychological distress and inactivity that comes with broken hips, which may increase the stroke potential.

It is information like this that makes the recent DePuy hip recall even more distressing. The consequences suffered by the victims of the defective hip implants may never be fully known.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on January 22, 2011 (boomark / email).