Abstract
Diabetes mellitus and its complications are more common in the old age, limiting both the quality of life and survival. Elderly diabetics require a specific apporoach to complex care.
High – functioning seniors with diabetes can be treated in the same way as younger patients while in frail patients, the care is strictly individualized. Adequate physical activity is welcome, antihypertensive, hypolipidemic and antiaggregation therapy has positive effects in elderly diabetics.
The goals of antihyperglycaemic treatment are less strict usually. Acute hyperglycemia is associated with marked dehydration and impairment of consciousness, hypoglycemia increases the risk of cardiovascular complications, development of dementia and cognitive decline.
As for antidiabetics, metformin is the drug of choice and it can be combined with gliptins, pioglitazone, or long-acting insulin analogs.