A new study from researchers at Yale School of Medicine, the University of Chicago, and Kaiser Permanente has provided helpful guidance on how to manage blood sugar levels in older adults with type 2 diabetes.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and focuses on something called Hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c.
This is a key measure of how well a person has been controlling their blood sugar over the past two to three months.
HbA1c levels are very important for people with type 2 diabetes, especially older adults. Because older people have different health conditions, the Endocrine Society recommends different target levels for HbA1c depending on whether someone is in good, fair, or poor health.
This study looked at the risks of complications based on HbA1c levels in older adults who were taking medications like insulin or sulfonylureas, which can sometimes cause blood sugar to drop too low—a condition called hypoglycemia.
For older adults who are generally healthy, the study found that having HbA1c levels that are either too low or too high can increase the risk of problems. This supports current health guidelines that stress the importance of keeping blood sugar levels within a specific range for healthy older adults.
However, for older adults in poor health, the study found something different. Whether their HbA1c levels were within the recommended range or not didn’t seem to affect their risk of complications very much. This suggests that very strict blood sugar control may not always be necessary for people in poor health.
What does this mean for diabetes treatment? It highlights the importance of personalizing diabetes care for older adults. If someone is in good health, it’s important to keep their HbA1c levels within a certain range to avoid complications.
But for someone in poorer health, it may be better to focus on overall comfort and quality of life instead of aiming for tight blood sugar control.
Doctors and caregivers should take each person’s overall health into account when making a treatment plan for diabetes. This helps make sure that the care is right for each person’s needs and avoids using the same approach for everyone.
If you’re interested in diabetes, you might want to read other studies too—some are exploring possible cures for type 2 diabetes and how certain vegetables could protect the kidneys in people with diabetes.
There’s also research showing that a drug for bone health might help prevent type 2 diabetes, and studies linking eating more eggs to a higher risk of the disease.
This latest research adds valuable knowledge and helps doctors better care for older adults with type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about This drug combo can treat type 2 diabetes in the long run effectively and findings of Eating fewer than 3 meals a day may help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
For more information about diabetes, please read studies about How to choosing the right fruits for type 2 diabetes and findings of New higher dose diabetes drug promises better blood sugar control and weight loss.
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