President Donald Trump offered his medical opinion that former President Jimmy Carter "will be fine" after falling and breaking his hip over the weekend.
"Wishing former President Jimmy Carter a speedy recovery from his hip surgery earlier today," Trump tweeted. "He was in such good spirits when we spoke last month - he will be fine!"
Trump, whose medical training consists of a bachelor of arts undergraduate degree in economics, may not be correct in his assessment.
Dr. Sharon Brennan-Olsen wrote about the risks for The Conversation.
"The news an elderly relative has broken a hip tends to sound alarm bells, perhaps more than breaking another bone would. That’s because a hip fracture dramatically increases an older person’s risk of death," she noted.
"One in three adults aged 50 and over dies within 12 months of suffering a hip fracture. Older adults have a five-to-eight times higher risk of dying within the first three months of a hip fracture compared to those without a hip fracture. This increased risk of death remains for almost ten years," she continued.
Carter turned 94 in October.
"Age is a key risk factor, with hip fractures more likely to occur in those aged 65 or older. They’re primarily a result of a fall, or when the hip collides with a solid object such as a kitchen bench," Brennan-Olson noted.
Carter suffered a fall in him Plains, Georgia home.
