title: [Diabetes in old age: HbA1c - and then what?].
abstract: HbA1c is a surrogate parameter used to determine metabolic control. In old age different conditions influence erythrocyte half-life falsifying the validity of HbA1c. In older people with diabetes the ranges of HbA1c are frequently chosen higher. However hypoglycemia cannot be ruled out even with high HbA1c levels. Functional aspects, especially regarding cognitive function, are important to choose treatment goals, mainly regarding the risk of hypoglycemia.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Innere Medizin und Geriatrie, Agaplesion Bethesda Krankenhaus Stuttgart.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeyfang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human