Page 36 - Diabetic Clarity

Diabetic Clarity

Too many doctors are all too dismissive of these and other symptoms
and don’t test their elderly patients for diabetes. It’s not until it’s
almost too late that doctors notice something is amiss and step in to
control the problem.

What Are The Guidelines For Treating Elderly Diabetics?

There have been a few organizations that have developed elderly
diabetic guidelines. In the yearly Standards of Medical Care in
Diabetes, there is a section targeted for older adults, with
recommendations as follows:

Older diabetic patients who can still function - cognitively and actively
– with a good life expectancy can follow the diabetic care that has
been developed for younger adult diabetics.

Older adults who glycemic goals have not been made may need an
individualized care plan but making sure that no hyperglycemia
symptoms complications can develop.

The treatment of older diabetic adults with cardiovascular risk factors
should be based on how long the benefit would be and the patient
themselves.

The majority of older adults have hypertension (high blood pressure)
and can use an aspirin or lipid therapy to boost their life expectancy so
long as it equals the primary or secondary prevention therapy’s
timeframe.

Older diabetic adults need to be screened regularly for diabetes
complications, paying special mind to the complications that could
affect them functionally and cognitively.

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