Hip Fractures Could Be Preliminary Indication Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Hip fractures may signal undiagnosed Alzheimer’s disease or the beginnings of the disease in senior citizens. This comes from a recently published study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
The study showed that a majority of senior citizens hospitalized for hip fractures had biomarkers for Alzheimer’s in their spinal fluid. Amazingly, this was also the case for seniors who had no clinical diagnosis or signs for dementia.
Hip Fractures: Study Findings
Spinal fluid samples were taken from 168 hip-fracture patients ranging in age from 65 to 102, Brain changes in senior citizens often results in poorer vision and balance. This increase their risks of falling and fractures to their bones.
At the present time Hopkins researchers are alerting patients, doctors, and caregivers of one specific side effect of hip fracture surgery. This is post-operative delirium. A severe state of confusion can make rehabilitation very difficult, especially for seniors. Seniors with Alzheimer’s are even more difficult to rehabilitate.
Going forward, Hopkins researchers are closely observing seniors during their hip post-operative recuperation. In particular, for any clinical signs of dementia.