Hypoglycemia in Geriatric Patients with Diabetes: A Review

Abstract

The prevalence of diabetes tends to be high, 42% of geriatric patients admitted have a diabetes diagnosis, and 33% of these patients experience hypoglycemia. Hospitalization is necessary for diabetic elderly individuals because their blood glucose levels make them more vulnerable to other complications. The research aims to examine the frequency of hypoglycemia in older individuals, including those with diabetes, which may be caused by the administration of antidiabetic that lower blood sugar levels. This study is a narrative review of publication that discussed hypoglycemic incidence among geriatrics in PubMed and Google Scholars databases. The type of study included the original article, not the abstract or thesis document from 2016–2021. Sulfonylurea and insulin groups are the most frequently prescribed, and they cause hypoglycemia in diabetic older people, with the rate of hypoglycemic incidence of more than 50%. Other groups of antidiabetes that geriatrics received were alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, dipeptyl peptidase-4, glucagon-like peptide-1, and biguanide, which has been prescribed as monotherapy and combined therapy. The prevalence of hypoglycemic in geriatrics is still present, along with their diabetes medication. For geriatric individuals with DM, routine blood glucose monitoring is advised to prevent diabetic complications.