Highlights on Diabetes Mellitus in Older Adults

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Geriatrics & Gerontology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

Abstract

It is estimated that by the year 2030, there will be 8.6 million adults with diabetes in Egypt, making it the country with the tenth largest population of diabetics in the world [1]. The prevalence of diabetes rises dramatically with age in both sexes; it reaches almost 20% among females aged 50-59 [2]. The burden of diabetes in adults is often described in terms of its impact on working-age, while in older adults it is linked to decreased functional status, institutionalization, and mortality [3]. Older persons and/or those with multiple comorbidities have often been excluded from randomized controlled trials of treatment despite having the highest prevalence of diabetes [4].

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