Elderly Diabetics

Glycemic Control Too Tight in Elderly Diabetics with Dementia

Marlene Busko

January 22, 2015

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EDITORS' RECOMMENDATIONS

• New Research Suggests Diabetes Overtreatment in Older Adults
• New IDF Guidelines Target Diabetes Care in the Elderly
• Hypoglycemia Common, Rivaling CVD, in Old-Age Diabetes

In a large study of older male veterans with type 2 diabetes and dementia, about half had HbA1c levels below 7%, even though guidelines caution against such tight glycemic control in this type of patient population.

Moreover, three-quarters of the patients with tight glycemic control were receiving sulfonylureas and/or insulin, medications that are known to cause hypoglycemia.

This study of more than 15,000 community-dwelling veterans was published online January 15 in Diabetes Care./.../