Interní Med. 2008; 10(10): 456-460

Diabetes mellitus - specificity and complications in elderly

doc. MUDr. Pavel Weber CSc

klinika geriatrie FN, Brno

The fact that diabetes mellitus involves in the 7th decade up to 20% of population and another 20% suffer impaired glucose tolerance causes that it is clinically the most important metabolic disease in elderly. In seniors it is usually DM type 2 (over 75 years up to 95%). Level of glucose may be elevated mildly and usually is asymptomatic, it may be present for many years without being recognized. In elderly even if the level is high, it may cause atypical and nonspecific symptoms. The diagnoses is based on blood sugar evaluation. Acute complications typical for advanced age are severe hypoglycemia (risk of vascular complications) and hyperosmolar nonketoacidotic coma. Late complications will be mainly macrovascular – myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and microvascular – retino-, nephropathy and in general the predisposition to infection. The prognosis of DM in elderly varies according the degree of compensation and control of coexistent risk factors of ischemic heart disease (i.e. hypertension, dyslipidemia). The article also reviews some specificities of diabetes mellitus in elderly from the point of view of epidemiology, ethiopathogenesis and clinical picture.

Keywords: Key words: diabetes mellitus, old-age-polymorbidity, epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, specificity and complications.

Published: January 1, 2009  Show citation