"A New Rx For Diabetes: Lighten Up" - Paula Span
About a third of Americans over age 65 have diabetes. Last month, the Endocrine Society unveiled new guidelines for treatment. Its recommendations included higher glucose and A1c targets for older people with diabetes, particularly those with several other chronic illnesses and cognitive impairment, or those having difficulty handling daily activities. “This is personalized medicine, taking each patient individually and deciding what’s appropriate,” said Derek LeRoith, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and bone disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who led the committee that reviewed the evidence and prepared the guidelines. “You can have a 75-year-old who is healthy and can deal with tight control, but that’s probably the minority.” With lengthening life spans, said Dr. LeRoith, “we know that 70- to 75-year-olds can live for 10 years or longer” and reduced blood sugar may help lower their risk of complications. But, he added, “One should go very slowly with this age group.”
— Derek LeRoith, MD, PhD, Professor, Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai