[Monitoring hypoglycemia in elderly diabetic patients: a prospective study].

Abstract

Hypoglycaemia is often underestimated in the elderly diabetic patient, as clinical manifestations of hypoglycaemia in these patients are frequently atypical. This prospective study, enrolling 100 elderly diabetic patients (age: 79.3 years) shows a great incidence of hypoglycaemic events (24%) during the first day of hospitalisation in a geriatric unit. According to the results of this study, common risk factors for hypoglycaemia in the elderly (advanced age, insulin therapy, renal insufficiency, polymedication, fragility) have no significant predictive value. It appears that screening for risk factors is not enough to prevent hypoglycaemia in the elderly diabetic patient, thereby a careful monitoring of glycaemia during the first days (and nights) of hospitalisation is required. Renewed efforts at better defining appropriate therapeutic goals, taking into account the patient's life expectancy and comorbidities, will help prevent the occurrence of hypoglycaemia in the elderly diabetic patient.

• Authors: M Coutaz, M Nicod, M Chassot, J Morisod
• Journal: Revue medicale suisse (Rev Med Suisse) Vol. 3 Issue 108 Pg. 1071-6 (Apr 25 2007) ISSN: 1660-9379 [Print] Switzerland
• Vernacular Title: Plaidoyer pour un dépistage systématique de l'hypoglycémie du sujet âgé diabétique: une étude prospective.
• PMID: 17552260 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Aged
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Female
• Hospitalization
• Humans
• Hypoglycemia (epidemiology)
• Male
• Prospective Studies