[Arteriosklerosis and "osteoporosis" in patients with chronic kidney disease: same same, but different!]

Arteriosklerosis and "osteoporosis" in patients with chronic kidney disease: same same, but different! Abstract. Vascular calcifications should be considered a dynamic process sharing many similarities with bone formation. Even though the underlying pathophysiology of renal insufficiency-related vascular and bone disorders has just begun to be revealed, they appear to be closely related to each other and together appear to have an enormous impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Vascular and bone disorders are highly prevalent in the general population. In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), not only the progression of these disorders appears to be accelerated, but they also appear to be governed by different pathophysiological mechanisms, and hence should be managed differently. One should be especially cautious about the use of some "standard drugs" like calcium supplements or bisphosphonates when treating patients with CKD. Unfortunately, no evidence-based therapeutic options of vascular and bone disorders in patients with CKD are yet available with proven positive effect on hard endpoints such as overall mortality or fracture risk.