April 26, 2024

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Common osteoporosis medications can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes

Common osteoporosis medications can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes



Common osteoporosis medications can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

A new study announced at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) showed that the widely used anti-osteoporosis drug alendronic acid can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A new study announced at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) showed that the widely used anti-osteoporosis drug alendronic acid can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

For decades, it has been known that people with diabetes have a higher risk of fractures-suggesting a link between blood sugar regulation and bone quality.

Recently, animal studies have shown that the modification of bone cells by osteoporosis drugs affects blood sugar regulation.

“Therefore, we speculate that the treatment of osteoporosis may affect the risk of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Rikke Viggers of Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark.

In order to find more information, Dr. Viggers and his colleagues compared the incidence of diabetes in patients taking the anti-osteoporosis drug alendronate with those not taking alendronate.

As the first-line treatment for osteoporosis, alendronate and other bisphosphonates help strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fractures.

All type 2 diabetes patients in Denmark from 2008 to 2018. Based on age and gender, each diabetes patient is matched with 3 healthy people in the population.

The prescription record was used to determine whether the participant had ever prescribed alendronic acid.

The average age of 163588 type 2 diabetic patients and 490764 non-diabetic patients was 67 years old, of which 55% were men.

Analysis shows that patients who take alendronic acid are 34% less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than those who have never taken alendronate.

The analysis also included factors such as smoking, drinking, obesity, income, and marital status.

Compared with people who have never taken alendronate, taking alendronate for at least 8 years may reduce the risk by more than half (53%).

Further analysis shows that this is a dose-dependent effect, that is, the longer the medication is taken, the lower the chance of suffering from the disease.

The authors of the study said that it is unclear how alendronic acid reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. There is a theory that this drug can reduce low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress, these two processes are considered to be the core of the formation of insulin resistance. (Insulin resistance is a key feature of type 2 diabetes. Body cells cannot respond appropriately to insulin and cannot easily absorb glucose from the blood.)

It is not yet known whether other drugs for treating osteoporosis have the same effect.

Dr. Viggers added: “Type 2 diabetes is a serious lifelong disease that may lead to other serious health problems, such as stroke, heart disease, blindness and amputation. Any method to prevent or delay diabetes will reduce people’s suffering from these problems. The risk of disease.”

“Excitingly, our research shows that alendronic acid, an inexpensive drug widely used to treat osteoporosis, can also prevent type 2 diabetes.

“We believe that doctors should take this into consideration when prescribing osteoporosis drugs to patients with prediabetes or high-risk type 2 diabetes.”

Reference source: “Diabetologia” magazine

Common osteoporosis medications can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes

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