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Use of Intensive Glycemic Management in Older Adults with Diabetes Mellitus
Author(s) -
Arnold Suzanne V.,
Lipska Kasia J.,
Wang Jingyan,
Seman Leo,
Mehta Sanjeev N.,
Kosiborod Mikhail
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.15335
Subject(s) - medicine , glycemic , diabetes mellitus , intensive care medicine , medline , gerontology , endocrinology , political science , law
Objectives To examine the proportion of older adults with diabetes mellitus treated with tight glucose control and the factors associated with this practice. Design Cross‐sectional analysis. Setting Outpatient sites in the Diabetes Collaborative Registry (N=151). Participants Adults aged 75 and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus (N=42,669). Measurements Participants were categorized based on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose‐lowering medications: poor control (HbA1c >9%), moderate control (HbA1c 8–9%), conservative control (HbA1c 7–8%), tight control (HbA1c <7%) with low‐risk agents (low risk for hypoglycemia), tight control with high‐risk agents, and diet control (HbA1c <7% taking no glucose‐lowering medications). We used hierarchical logistic regression to examine participant and site factors associated with tight control and high‐risk agents versus conservative or tight control and low‐risk agents. Results Of 30,696 participants without diet‐controlled diabetes, 5,596 (18%) had moderate or poor control, 9,227 (30%) had conservative control, 7,893 (26%) had tight control taking low‐risk agents, and 7,980 (26%) had tight control taking high‐risk agents. Older age, male sex, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and coronary artery disease were each independently associated with greater odds of tight control with high‐risk agents. There were no differences according to practice specialty (endocrinology, primary care, cardiology) in how aggressively participants were managed. Conclusion One‐quarter of U.S. older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus are tightly controlled with glucose‐lowering medications that have a high risk of hypoglycemia. These results suggest potential overtreatment of a substantial proportion of people and should encourage further efforts to translate guidelines to daily practice.