Many Older People with Type 2 Diabetes Are Over-Treated

By Sondra Forsyth

In a January 2018 Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism analysis of individuals aged 70 years with type 2 diabetes, almost 40% with recommended HbA1c levels (which indicate blood glucose levels) were over-treated.

A release from the publishers explains that the majority of over-treated people were frail and used five medicines. Hypoglycemia occurred in 20.3% of these patients and almost 30% reported fall accidents. The investigators noted that clinicians should leave the ‘one size fits all’ approach and realize the possible benefits of de-intensifying blood glucose lowering treatment.

The release quotes lead author Dr. Huberta Hart, of the University Medical Center Utrecht, in The Netherlands, as saying, “In older patients with longstanding diabetes and a complex treatment regimen, the risk-benefit ratio of stringent blood glucose treatment is doubtful. Physicians, follow the guidelines and dare to de-intensify the blood glucose lowering medication in a shared decision with your older patient with diabetes.”