Osteoporosis can be uncovered through a bone densitometry test, a low-radiation X-ray of the skeleton. (CBC)

Seniors who suffer a fracture have a higher risk of death than the general population for the next five to 10 years after the break occurred, a new study suggests.

Dana Bliuc of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research at St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, and her colleagues looked at the long-term risk of death for men and women in different age groups who had a fracture.

"It's important to remember that about one in four Canadian women and about one in eight Canadian men are at risk for having an osteoporotic fracture," said Dr. Sophie Jamal, director of a multidisciplinary program for osteoporosis research at Women's College Hospital in Toronto.

As the population ages, fractures will become more common and could lead to more sickness and death, Jamal added.

In those older than 75 with osteoporosis, the risk of death for women who suffered a hip fracture was doubled, and for men, it increased three-fold, the researchers found.

Their study, published in Wednesday's edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at 1,295 men and women in Australia over the age of 60 who suffered a fracture and followed them for up to 18 years.

Fracture 'a signal event'

In women, there were 952 low-trauma fractures followed by 461 deaths, and in men, 343 fractures were followed by 197 deaths.

The researchers classified fractures as hip, vertebral, major (such as a pelvis or three or more ribs at the same time) and minor.

"Non-hip, non-vertebral fractures, generally not considered in these types of studies, not only constituted almost 50 per cent of the fractures studied but also were associated with 29 per cent of the premature mortality," the study's authors wrote.

"These data suggest fracture is a signal event that heralds an increased mortality risk."

That is, a fracture injury could be a sign of an underlying medical problem. Seniors who suffer the injuries should be monitored more closely, the study's authors suggested.

Allen Stevenson, 82, of Calgary has had osteoporosis for 18 years. He had four spinal fractures, a broken heal, ankle and some ribs from routine activities such as getting off a chair.

Stevenson takes weekly medication to slow his bone loss, and his osteoporosis hasn't worsened in the past two years. As long as it stays that way, Stevenson said, he's not worried.

"I have no concerns about the future and not being able to get around," he said. "I really haven't. And I don't let it rule my life."

But many elderly patients with fractures are never referred for further testing to see if they have osteoporosis. Researchers said they hope these findings will promote more tests and treatment.