Study Links Osteoporosis to Heart Failure

A study conducted at the Heart Center of the University of Cologne in Germany demonstrated a relationship between bone mineral density and heart failure. Todd Neale, a senior staff writer for MedPage Today, reported on the study.

The researchers, led by Roman Pfister, M.D., found that for every one standard deviation increase in bone mineral density measured in the heel, the risk of heart failure was lower by a relative 23%. That association was stronger for cases of heart failure that were not preceded by a myocardial infarction.
Neale quoted the researchers as writing, “This is of major clinical interest because osteoporosis and low bone density are common, particularly in the elderly, affecting approximately 52 million persons in the U.S. Screening for osteoporosis is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for all women 65 years of age or older and all younger women with a similar disease risk. This adds to existing evidence suggesting that both diseases share common mechanisms in pathogenesis, and further research is warranted to explore underlying biological processes to identify new therapeutic targets for preventive interventions.”

The data came from 13, 666 outwardly healthy individuals ages 42 to 82. Their average age was 62. They were participating in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk study in England. During an average follow-up of 9.3 years, there were 380 cases of either fatal or nonfatal heart failure, with the risk of heart failure declining in patients with higher bone mineral density.

The researchers wrote, “Because both heart failure and osteoporosis are two of the chronic illnesses at the top of the list of expensive healthcare conditions, we are intrigued by the potential for simple interventions that may significantly reduce the burden caused by these disorders.”