[Knack of treatment with oral hypoglycemic drugs in the elderly].
In the treatment of elderly type 2 diabetes, it is important to detect hypoglycemia correctly, because the elderly patients often exhibit atypical symptoms from hypoglycemia. Oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA), which do not stimulate insulin release from pancreas, is rather safe and may be the first choice for the elderly patients. OHAs that stimulate insulin secretion weakly or temporally might be useful drug for controlling elderly diabetic patients characterized by post-prandial hyperglycemia. Strong-acting sulfonylurea must be use with a great caution. Importantly, once glycemic control comes to a fail even after an appropriate combination of OHAs, initiation of insulin injection therapy must be considered.
Komatsu
Mitsuhisa
M
Department of Aging Medicine and Geriatrics, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine.
Hashizume
Kiyoshi
K
D000368:Aged; D001645:Biguanides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005905:Glyburide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001645:Biguanides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; C057619:glimepiride; D005905:Glyburide