Thin, weakened bones associated with heightened risk of heart attack or stroke in women May 6 2021 Thin and brittle bones are strongly linked to women’s heart disease risk, with thinning of the lower (lumbar) spine, top of the thigh bone (femoral neck), and hip especially predictive of a heightened heart attack and stroke risk, suggests research in the journal Heart. Osteoporosis, often dubbed brittle bone disease, is common, particularly among women after the menopause. It is characterized by thinning and weakened bones and a heightened fracture risk. Previously published research indicates that people with osteoporosis often have atherosclerosis (artery hardening and narrowing), suggesting that both conditions may be linked.