THURSDAY, April 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiovascular health may impact fracture risk in women after menopause, according to a study published online March 27 in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas.
Rafeka Hossain, from Tulane University in New Orleans, and colleagues examined the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk (based on the PREventing cardiovascular disease eVENTs [PREVENT] score) and incident fractures in postmenopausal women. Using PREVENT, 10-year CVD risk was categorized as low (<5.0 percent), borderline (5.0 to 7.4 percent), intermediate (7.5 to 19.9 percent), or high (≥20 percent). The analysis included 21,300 participants (mean age, 63.7 years) in the Women's Health Initiative.
The researchers found that compared with low CVD risk, a higher risk for major osteoporotic fracture was seen in the groups with intermediate and high CVD risk (hazard ratios [HRs], 1.14 and 1.22, respectively). Similarly, there was a higher risk for hip fracture (HRs, 1.33 and 1.93 for the groups with intermediate and high CVD risk, respectively). When accounting for the competing risk for mortality, associations attenuated, but higher CVD risk remained associated with higher fracture risk.
"Many of the same factors that protect your heart -- regular physical activity, a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, not smoking and managing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure -- also help protect your bones," Hossain said in a statement. "If you've been told you have intermediate or high cardiovascular risk, particularly if you are a postmenopausal woman, it may be worthwhile to talk to your doctor about bone health screening, given the many effective treatments available that reduce fracture risk."
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.