OVERTREATMENT AND HYPOGLYCEMIA PREVALENCE IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2 DIABETES IN THE TURKISH POPULATION

To determine the prevalence of over-treatment and hypoglycemia in Turkish type-2 diabetes patients and to identify the risk factors. Patients ≥ 65 years, having a minimum 5 years of type-2 diabetes, were included in the study. Patients' body mass index, mean HbA1c level, disease onset and medic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta endocrinologica (Bucharest, Romania : 2005) Romania : 2005), 2019-07, Vol.15 (3), p.311-316
Main Authors: Akin, S, Bölük, C, Ozgur, Y, Aladağ, N, Geçmez, G, Keskin, O, Turk Boru, U, Tasdemir, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
General Endocrinology
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Summary:To determine the prevalence of over-treatment and hypoglycemia in Turkish type-2 diabetes patients and to identify the risk factors. Patients ≥ 65 years, having a minimum 5 years of type-2 diabetes, were included in the study. Patients' body mass index, mean HbA1c level, disease onset and medications related with their co-morbidities were recorded. Over-treatment is defined as the use of non-metformin therapies despite having HbA1c levels < 7%. A history of hypoglycemia episodes in the last three months and patients' home blood glucose measurements were recorded. Factors relating to hypoglycemia and over-treatment were analyzed. After applying criteria, 755 patients were included in the study: 728 patients (96.4%) had at least one comorbidity. 257 patients (34%) were found to have HbA1c levels < 7%. 217 of them (84.4%) were using non-metformin therapies. 497 patients (65.8%) were using insulin. The over-treatment prevalence in the ≥ 65 years group was 28.7%. The over-treatment ratio in ≥ 80 years group was 28.2%. Hypoglycemia prevalence in the last three months was 23.3%. It was 22.7% for patients ≥ 80 years. Mean age, disease duration, body mass index, insulin usage and doses were found to be significantly different in over-treated patients compared to the others. This study showed that despite recent guidelines, there is still a considerable amount of over-treated geriatric patients who are at risk of hypoglycemia and related morbidity and mortality. Insulinization rate was high. Physicians should not avoid de-intensifying the treatment of geriatric patients who have multiple co-morbidities.
ISSN:1841-0987
1843-066X
DOI:10.4183/aeb.2019.311