After menopause, estrogen falls and many women lose bone. An estimated 1 in 3 women over 50 will have a fracture from bone loss in their lifetime. A new study asked if heart disease risk is linked to these fractures.
The research, in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, used the American Heart Association’s PREVENT score, developed in 2024, to estimate 10-year cardiovascular risk. More than 21,000 women from the Women’s Health Initiative were put into four groups: low, borderline, intermediate and high risk.
The study found the strongest link with hip fractures. Women in the high-risk group had a 93% higher hip fracture risk and the intermediate group had a 33% higher risk. The link was stronger for women under 65, and median time to hip fracture was shorter in the high-risk group.
Difficult words
- menopause — time when menstrual periods stop
- estrogen — a female hormone made by the ovaries
- fracture — a break in a bone from injury or weaknessfractures, hip fracture, hip fractures
- cardiovascular — related to the heart and blood vessels
- median — the middle value in a group of numbers
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think women should check heart disease risk after menopause? Why or why not?
- Have you or someone you know had a bone fracture after age 50? What happened?
- What health checks would you suggest for women over 50 to protect their bones?
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