Abstract
More than half of those with type 2 diabetes are over 65 years of age, and a quarter are over 75 years of age. The increasing life expectancy will lead to further increases in the prevalence of diabete in older people. Diabetes in the elderly is often associated with other diseases (vascular, heart and kidney diseases) and reduced functional status leading to chronic and worsening disability. The criteria for screening and diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in the elderly do not differ from those in the young and adult populations. Since elderly individuals are more susceptible to hypoglycamia, an increased cutoff level of HbA1c should be used as a therapeutic target. Therapy is more complex due to comorbidities and to frequent polytherapy.
| Translated title of the contribution | Diabetic disease in the elderly |
|---|---|
| Original language | Italian |
| Pages (from-to) | 80-82 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Rivista Italiana della Medicina di Laboratorio |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2011 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, medical
- Medical Laboratory Technology