Hip fractures

Fractures of the hip in older people are a common and serious injury. Doctors from all specialties are likely to encounter patients with hip fractures at some point in their career—whether in primary care, the emergency department, or a hospital ward. With an ageing population, the incidence of hip fractures is rapidly increasing and represents a considerable financial cost. In the United Kingdom an estimated 70 000 hip fractures occur each year,1 with an annual cost of £2bn (€2.58bn; $3.1bn).2

Patients presenting with hip fractures are often older with multiple comorbidities. The need for surgical intervention in the context of often complex medical and social problems means that the management of these patients is challenging. This challenge is best met through a multidisciplinary approach including surgeons, elderly care physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers. The frailty of such patients is reflected in the one year death rate, which stands