[Examination of the treatment of elderly type 2 diabetics--is it possible to change from insulin to oral hypoglycemic agents?].
As with other diseases, the rate of elderly diabetes patients rises together with the aging society. Almost half of diabetics are elderly at 65 years old and over, and the majority of those have type 2 diabetes. This is true in our hospital as well. Some type 2 diabetics who are treated with insulin. The reasons for insulin treatment are as follows: the patients developed an insulin dependency, or insulin treatment from before has been followed. Recently, in treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents, some medicines with different mechanisms are used. A combination therapy is also added, broadening the choice of medicines. In the present study, a re-evaluation of the condition of elderly diabetics who were treated with insulin was done. Trials to change from insulin to oral hypoglycemic agents were performed in 21 patients who were thought to be insulin independent. As the result, it was judged that blood sugar control was possible in all cases after the change in the mode of treatment. There are many elderly type 2 diabetics who get behind in self-injection of insulin because of eyesight difficulties as well as the problem of injection skill. If conditions permit, it is reasonable to return to the treatment of oral medicine. However, even if control is possible for a space of 2-3 months, strict observation is thought to be necessary due to the possibility that blood glucose control will become gradually worse.
Oda
K
K
Nishioka Hospital.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin