[Osteoporotic fractures in the elderly].

The epidemiology of injuries is a significant factor in the structure of mortality and causes of hospitalization of elderly people. Epidemiologically, consequences of injury, i.e. their complications, from reduced mobility, sores, contractures, infections, all over to mortality from hypostatic pneumonia, are strongly emphasized in the elderly. In 2005, more than 17.0% of Croatian population were older than 65 years of age, and 27.0% of the population were over 60. Osteoporotic bone fractures are frequent among the elderly; 5,489 hip fracture cases were registered in Croatia during 2005, and 382 of them died from fracture complications. In total, 97.38% of the dead patients were over 65 years of age. Besides hip fractures, other typical osteoporotic fractures are fractures of vertebral bodies, distal part of the radius, humerus, pelvic bones, etc. Regardless of conservative or surgical treatment for osteoporotic fracture, it is essential to stress out that after the care of fractured bone has been provided, appropriate diagnostic examinations and pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis should also be done. Orthopedic and traumatic surgeons all over the world have to understand that conservative or surgical treatment of osteoporotic fracture of any localization is just one link in this complex chain of managing the disease - osteoporotic treatment.