Fracture healing in elderly patients: new challenges for antiosteoporotic drugs

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern, characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fracture. Fracture repair progresses through different pathways, striking a balance between bone formation and bone remodeling mechanisms. Conventionally, fracture repair is divided into defined stages, each characterized by a specific set of cellular and molecular events. In postmenopausal women and elderly patients, bone healing rates are conditioned by cellular and molecular alterations to bone tissue that result in a progressive deterioration of fracture healing ability. In addition, in elderly patients, comorbidities and drugs therapies may also affect fracture healing. For this reason, pharmacological research is now focused on the possible use of antiosteoporotic drugs to promote bone healing in frail patients.