Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in older adults

Abstract

In the near future, the majority of patients with diabetes will be adults aged 65 or older. Unlike young adults with diabetes, elderly diabetic people may be affected by a variety of comorbid conditions such as depression, cognitive impairment, muscle weakne (sarcopenia), falls and fractures, and physical frailty. These geriatric syndromes should be considered in the establishment of treamentgoals in older adults with diabetes. Although there are several guidelines for the management of diabetes, only a few are specificlydesigned for the elderly with diabetes. In this review, we present specific conditions of elderly diabetes which should be takeninto account in the management of diabetes in older adults. We also present advantages and disadvantages of various glucose-loweri agents that should be considered when choosing a proper regimen for older adults with diabetes. ? 2012 Korean Diabetes Association.