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KMID : 1024720130030010068
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Geriatric Rehabilitation
2013 Volume.3 No. 1 p.68 ~ p.73
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Oral Anti-diabetic Therapy in the Elderly Patients
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Kim Jin-Taek
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Abstract
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The prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to rapidly increase as more people live longer. At least 20 percent of older adults aged over 65 years are diabetic patients, and these elderly patients have higher morbidity and mortality compared with those without diabetes. The overall goal of diabetes care in elderly patients are similar to that of younger patients, especially when the patients are healthy and expected to live long. However, individualized goal setting and risk factor management are necessary when the patients are fragile with many comorbid conditions. Of note, avoidance of hypoglycemia should be of great concern in the care of elderly patients, since hypoglycemia can result in cardiovascular accidents, falls and decline of various functions. Many old and new anti-diabetic agents were proven to be effective and safe in elderly patients. Each agent can be carefully used in the elderly patients after reviewing the efficacy, and side effects. In the absence of contraindications, metformin is initially recommended due to a low risk of hypoglycemia. Recently introduced incretin-based therapy is also a good therapeutic option in the treatment of elderly because of fewer hypoglycemia and no weight gain.
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KEYWORD
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Oral-antidiabetic agents, Elderly diabetics, Diabetes mellitus
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