Managing diabetes in the elderly: Go easy, individualize

Thomas Hornick; David C. Aron

ABSTRACT

The care of elderly patients with diabetes should be individualized, taking into account the patient’s comorbidities, other medications, cognitive abilities, home care situation, and life expectancy. Especially in frail, elderly patients, there should be less emphasis on strict glycemic control than on avoiding malnutrition and hypoglycemia and achieving the best quality of life possible.

Thomas Hornick, MD and
David C. Aron, MD, MS⇑

Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Director, Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Divisions of Clinical and Molecular Endocrinology and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Associate Chief of Staff/Education and Associate Director (Health Services Research), Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
member of the Performance Measures Subcommittee of the Endocrine Society; and Chair of the Diabetes/Endocrine Field Advisory Committee for the Department of Veterans Affairs

ADDRESS:
David C. Aron, MD, MS, Education Office 14(W), Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106; e-mail david.aron{at}va.gov.