Osteoporosis: An Under-appreciated Complication of Diabetes

Abstract

In Brief Care of patients with diabetes should include an assessment of bone health. It is now clear that patients with type 1 diabetes have lower bone mineral density (BMD) and higher risk of fractures. Evidence is accumulating that patients with type 2 diabetes who have complications are also at increased risk of certain types of osteoporotic fractures despite having a higher BMD when compared to patients with type 1 diabetes. Therapeutic interventions are key to preventing fractures, both by improving bone density and decreasing the risk for falls.