Effective treatments for older people with type 2 diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a condition that affects around one-fifth of the senior population. The disease occurs due to violations in the endocrine system and is characterized by an increased level of glucose in the blood. A characteristic feature of weakness in old age is being overweight. Given that people already have a lot of health problems in old age, being overweight is hardly a surprise. And if you do not pay attention to all the factors, the disease is life-threatening.

Types of diseases

Today, diabetes is divided into two types that differ in cause and mechanism of occurrence, aspects of treatment.

The first type of disease causes the collapse of the pancreas. In this case, it can no longer produce insulin, and the concentration of the latter in the blood decreases. Hormone insufficiency is closely related to glucose absorption in the body's cells. It turns out that there seems to be a lot of sugar, but the human body does not notice it. The body, under the influence of declining immunity, is subjected to:

exposure to viral factors;
possible neoplasms;
intoxication with harmful substances is stronger than usual.

Important! A feature of type 1 diabetes is its manifestation in childhood.

The disease passes quickly, ketoacidosis develops. Usually, patients will find out their health condition already in the hospital in the intensive care unit. If action is not taken immediately, diabetic coma could end.

Hereditary factors have a crucial influence as well. It has been proven that the risk of future generations becoming infected is very high if one of the parents has diabetes. Because cell destruction is an irreversible process, getting rid of this type of diabetes is not possible. You can only maintain a normal body condition with insulin injections.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by normal and in some high hormone production. Insulin does not enter the bloodstream in a timely manner, and the body's cells reduce its sensitivity to it. Although there is enough hormone in the blood, its effect is reduced. And the reasons for such cell behavior are different:

heritage;
overweight;
loss of sensitivity of cellular receptors to the hormone due to their damage;
production of so-called "defective insulin", which is not suitable for the formed receptors.

The difference in the course of treatment is not insulin injections, but drugs that can increase hormone sensitivity.

The symptoms of this type of disease often hide for a long time, because patients postpone a visit to the clinic for a diagnosis, but in vain. After all, timely analyzes lead to qualitative prevention of possible complications. And since in the initial stages of the disease people are not accustomed to seeking the help of specialists, it is necessary to take the necessary medication.

Treatment

What are the chances of developing type 2 diabetes in the elderly? It is the cause of death in diabetics who are old. When you discover the first symptoms, you need to take immediate action. If you notice one of the following symptoms, it would not hurt to seek medical advice. Signs of diabetes:

constant thirst and frequent urination at night;
rapid weight loss;
itchy skin;
vision impairment.

Important! The treatment of type 2 diabetes for the elderly is determined by taking medication, insulin injections, a certain diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Metformin is well established among drugs. But it is indicated only in patients with normal renal and hepatic function. Preparations of this spectrum (Siofor, Glucophage) activate metabolism, do not cause hypoglycemia, and have a beneficial effect on the pancreas.

Diet

Diet is an important factor in the treatment of diabetes.

However, this does not mean that you have to eat tasteless food. As practice shows, the diet can be delicious, including healthy sweets. Every patient knows why you can’t eat high-calorie foods, but few people know you can.

Note! You need to eat more vegetables and sour fruits with dairy products.

Bread and various cereals should be reduced to a minimum, fish and meat should be eaten up to 300 grams per day. True, the transition to such a diet is not easy, especially for patients who have never limited themselves in terms of food.

To help you get used to dietary restrictions, you can follow this advice. Take a plate and conditionally divide it into 2 parts. Then divide one of them into two more. Fill two equal parts of the plate with protein (fish, meat, cottage cheese) and carbohydrates (for example, potatoes, pasta). Put vegetables on most and start eating from them. It is known that when you eat porridge with meat in small meals, the sugar does not increase.

Dispose of various sodas and give preference to homemade drinks. For example, squeeze the orange juice and mix with a tablespoon of lemon juice, add a little water.

Tea, coffee, water are recommended to drink before meals. Use sweeteners (stevia, aspartame) recommended by nutritionists.

He will chew food thoroughly. Overeating is unacceptable. Wait half an hour and if there is still a feeling of hunger, eat something else. Under no circumstances should you engage in:

white flour products;

cookies
candy
sweet fruit;
cheese, yogurt.
To achieve the goal, think about your diet and eat fractionally (6 times a day).

Read Diet For diabetics

The way of drinking

Water plays an important role in the process of metabolism and digestion. Since diabetics lose fluid faster than others, due to glucosuria it is important that they drink up to 5 liters of water a day to make up for the loss.

In no case should dehydration be allowed, because then the body will not work fully. It is important to pay attention to other drinks, besides plain water, which you can drink without fear for your condition. These drinks include freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, pomegranates, apples). The sweetener can be added to tea and coffee.

As for mineral water, it can be drunk 3 times a day, depending on the acidity of the stomach. If it is low - then half an hour, if it is high - a few hours before meals.

Mineral water has a beneficial effect on diabetics by activating insulin receptors. In this case, glucose successfully enters the cells of the body, lowering the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

As a rule, it is allowed to drink table mineral water in unlimited quantities, and medicinal mineral and medicinal table only according to the doctor's prescription.

It should be emphasized that you can only drink still water. Before drinking, open and release the bottle.

Maintain a normal weight

Given dietary restrictions and performing minimal physical exertion that even an elderly person can afford, you can stabilize your body weight and keep it within normal limits for a long time. You will even need hourly walks to get started. It is worth noting that the body of an older person is much more sensitive to stress than a young person because everyone can choose the type of exercise to taste. Physical education helps lower blood pressure, slows down the processes of atherosclerosis, increases the body's sensitivity to insulin. However, there are also contraindications for sports, which are:

ketoacidosis;
angina pectoris;
renal failure.

lifestyle

If the patient is overweight, the body cannot make good use of the pancreatic hormone, which means that diabetes becomes uncontrollable.

In that case, you need to adjust your lifestyle to diet changes and adding the aforementioned physical activity. Calorie control will improve the course of the disease, and physical education will lower blood glucose.

Advice! It is important to eat properly and give up smoking and alcohol forever, as they can lead to complications.

It is also important to use a glucometer on a daily basis to monitor blood sugar levels. The doctor will specify the framework, given the age, duration of the disease, the presence of complications.

Read Bodybuilding with diabetes

Recipes of traditional medicine

Some older men and women prefer to treat the disease with folk remedies, herbs. And this is not surprising, because such recipes are shown on the good side.

Let’s start with the easiest way: eat roasted onions in the morning on an empty stomach. A blood glucose test might yield results in as little as a month.

For example, take a glass of oats and pour a liter of boiling water, then simmer on low heat for an hour. Refrigerate the soup and enjoy it at any time in any quantity.

When the linden leaves dry, they can be drunk and drunk like tea, regardless of the meal.

For diabetes, it is good to use mustard seeds simply by eating a pinch of them daily. They have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, remove constipation and increase bile flow.

Horseradish root is also helpful. It must first be grated and mixed with sour milk in a ratio of one to ten. Take one tablespoon before each meal three times a day.

We must not forget that the use of honey is not recommended in the advanced stages of type 2 diabetes. Consult a doctor to learn more about the risks and advantages of honey. Diabetes is not a death sentence.

Diabetes is not a sentence. And even at an advanced age, you can live a full life, relying on the recommendations of a nutritionist, taking the necessary medical measures, and engaging in physical education.

Diabetes in the elderly

The incidence of diabetes is becoming more widespread, more and more people from the youngest to the older generation are getting sick from it. According to WHO statistics, today more than 100 million people in the world suffer from diabetes. Diabetes mellitus in old age is about 9% at the age of 60-65 years and by the age of 75 - 23%.

The increase in elderly patients is caused by a number of features of changes in carbohydrate metabolism:

Increase in glycemia on the head by 0.05 mmol / L; 2 hours after a meal, increase in sugar by 0.5 mmol / l;
Decreased tissue sensitivity to insulin (insulin resistance);
Reduced insulin production.

Insulin resistance is most pronounced in overweight people. In people without obesity, the most common factor in the disease is a decrease in insulin production (secretion).

Of course, these indicators are approximate, as each occurs separately. The risk of diabetes in the elderly largely depends on lifestyle, physical activity, diet, the number of "accumulated" chronic diseases. All these factors are interrelated.

According to scientists, people diagnosed with diabetes have already had the following diseases:

Neuropathy (a disease of the nervous system);
Cardiac ischemia;
Retinopathy (eye disease);
Changes in the veins, especially the limbs of the legs;
Chronic kidney disease;
Arterial hypertension;
Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

More than half of the patients already had some percentage of these chronic diseases and suffered from microvascular complications. The appearance of diabetes mellitus and pathology of other organ systems increases the risk of complications and the course of the disease, correction of treatment.

Symptoms of diabetes in the elderly

Dry skin, itching;
Constant thirst;
Frequent urination;
Visual impairment;
Swelling of the legs, cramps.

The presence of all of the above symptoms is optional; the appearance of one or two is sufficient.

Symptoms in the elderly in the development of type 1 diabetes are more pronounced dry skin and itching, weight loss on the background of a normal diet, severe weakness.

With the development of type 2 diabetes in the elderly, the main symptoms are strong thirst, weakness, sharp deterioration of vision, and not wound healing.

To diagnose diabetes, you must take blood and urine sugar tests. The percentage of type 2 diabetes in the elderly is higher than type 1. Often no specific symptoms are observed, but diabetes is detected, for example, an examination of the fundus of the eye. Therefore, after 45 years, it is recommended to take tests every two years to check glucose levels. The sooner the disease is diagnosed, the lower the risk of complications, the easier it is to treat. Cases, when diabetes is diagnosed at a late stage, are quite common.

A particularly dangerous complication in the elderly is hypoglycemia. -low glucose. Manifestations of hypoglycemia in young and elderly people differ in symptoms.

Features of hypoglycemia in the elderly

There are no clear symptoms. Therefore, masking for other diseases is often not diagnosed;
Pronounced symptoms of hypoglycemia in young people in the form of sweating and tachycardia, in the elderly are manifested by weakness and confusion;
Due to the impaired effect of overcoming hypoglycemia (impaired function of counter-regulatory systems), hypoglycemia is long-lasting in nature.

The risk of hypoglycemia is expressed by a complication of the heart and circulatory system, which is very dangerous for elderly patients and more difficult to carry around the body than at a young age. With frequent conditions of hypoglycemia, elderly patients often lose balance and orientation in space, which causes a fall with fractures and dislocations.

In the elderly, the onset of this disease is also possible while taking various medications that interact. It is difficult for a doctor to consider all the possible side effects. For example, when taking a beta-blocker, hypoglycemia is blocked until the patient faints. And some sulfonamides increase tissue sensitivity to insulin.

In these cases, it is recommended that the elderly reduce their carbohydrate intake to a minimum. A special therapeutic diet is prescribed which should include natural fats and proteins (building material for cells). This is done so that on the background of a low-carbohydrate diet a person has the opportunity to drink fewer sugar-lowering medications. Therefore, the possibility of complications of hypoglycemia is reduced.

Unfortunately, many older people are left to live on their own, which worsens their mental state and increases their state of depression, in which the patient loses interest in self-monitoring their health. Or he just forgets to take drugs on time.

Read Ketone diet against diabetes

For older people, the goals of treating diabetes mellitus by doctors are individual. Depends on how long a diabetic can live:

Presence of cardiovascular pathologies;
The body's tendency to hypoglycemia;
The state of functioning of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract;
Number and presence of severe complications;
Patient self-control capabilities.

Diabetes mellitus in the elderly with normal physical activity is easier and with the least complications. This is because the body of an older person is most sensitive to physical exertion, so improving the condition will not make you wait long. Taking into account the presence of other diseases, methods of physical rehabilitation are selected together with the doctor.

You need to walk for at least 30 minutes. daily, increasing the daily time by 5-10 minutes. If you want, you can always choose the best physical activity that brings healing and satisfaction.

It is important to remember that the development of type 2 diabetes most often occurs due to an improper lifestyle. The best recommendations for the prevention and treatment of the elderly are the following:

Complete rejection of all bad habits;
Exercise, swimming, daily walking;
Maintaining the inner state of an optimistic “note”;
Continuous use of therapeutic diet;
Weight loss, especially in obesity;
Constant sugar control, pressure control.

Prevention of diabetes in the elderly, it is primarily educational work on the causes of the development of the disease and the possibilities of their solution, appropriate to the age and general condition of the patient, properly organized treatment.

Diabetes in the elderly, symptoms and treatment

Diabetes mellitus is a lack of insulin in the human body, this disease belongs to the group of endocrine diseases. With diabetes, a large amount of glucose is produced in the blood, which negatively affects vital abilities.

There is an acute issue in medicine today that affects the size of the onset of diabetes. These problems are acute in all countries of the world; people of different ages, from the youngest to the oldest, are affected by this disease.

More common in older people, often after age 60.

A significant increase in patients with diabetes is directly related to the peculiarities of the physiological changes of aging of the human body, there is a violation of carbohydrate metabolism.

Risk of developing diabetes in the elderly

In the age group older than 50 years, almost irreversible changes occur, which are accompanied by a decrease in glucose tolerance.

This means that there is a gradual increase in the presence of sugar in the blood on an empty stomach, after eating there is a process of glucose concentration in human blood. Also, do not forget about the heredity of this disease ..

All changes in the human body take place individually, each in a different way. Some processes are faster, others are much slower.

The development of diabetes in older people is much higher than in younger generations

The changes are influenced by the lifestyle that the senior citizen leads, what he eats, physical activity.

And with age, the secretion and action of hormones such as incretin are significantly reduced and weakened, the sensitivity of body tissues to insulin is reduced. All this leads to not very good results, health begins to deteriorate ..

Factors contributing to diabetes

Lack of physical activity of a person;
Decreased muscle mass;
Poor nutrition;
Wrong carbohydrate metabolism.

Diabetes diet

With an increase in blood sugar, the body suffers from a serious energy deficit, and this is a problem for the development of diabetes as a whole.

Types of diabetes

There is a division of diabetes into two groups. If the body lacks insulin, it is considered type 1 diabetes.

And when there is a violation of the excessive effect of insulin - it is type 2 diabetes. Let's consider all types of diseases in more detail ..

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, the disease manifests itself at different ages.

Type 1 diabetes

A feature of this type of disease is the lack of insulin, which has a lifelong character, followed by the destruction of betta cells.

The first type of disease has differences, autoimmune and idiopathic.

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder of insulin secretion, and the background to that is insulin resistance. It is associated with metabolic disorders.

At the same time, there is an increase in insulin in the blood, which affects metabolism.

Signs of type 2 diabetes

When considering the main types of disease, it should be borne in mind that several other forms of diabetes have been identified, and these are:

Defects in insulin genetics;
Drug-related diabetes;
Diabetes is transformed after infection in the body.

Decreased insulin secretion with age

The main reason for the manifestation of type 2 diabetes is considered to be a significant decrease in pancreatic insulin secretion.

Dangerous insulin resistance, along with significant obesity, is manifested even with the normal amount of insulin produced in the pancreas.

When a person consumes meals high in carbs, there is an increase in the quantity of glucose in the blood, which causes the pancreas to produce insulin.

This process takes place in two stages:

Intensive production of pancreatic insulin, this process takes about 10-15 minutes;
Smooth filling of blood with insulin, this moment runs one to two hours, after meals.

All types of medical studies have proven that there is a significant reduction in a person with increasing age.

Blood sugar test

If the elderly person is of normal body weight, a decrease in glucosidase activity is observed.

This gene helps ensure the sensitivity of beta cells in the pancreas while stimulating glucose. Due to this nuance, there is reduced insulin secretion in the elderly.

Read What is insuin resistance

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes

A segment of the population suffering from type 2 diabetes feels a lack of insulin in the blood, which forces people to become addicted to insulin throughout their lives.

As a result of the lack of insulin, increased content of glucose in the blood is noticed, which adversely affects the condition of the vascular system and other internal organs.

Symptoms, complications, classification of diabetes

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are:

Constant thirst, the person is thirsty all the time;
Increased urination, the patient constantly visits the toilet, which exceeds the number of times than normal;
Unjustified weight loss;
Fatigue;
Persistent weakness;
Unreasonable nervousness and irritability;
Gag reflex and nausea.

If you see any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention right once.

When a person withdraws from an appointment with a doctor, there is a risk of a number of complications that can occur in diseases of the renal system, disorders in neurological manifestations, there is a special risk of heart attack, stroke, and even vision loss.

Type 2 diabetes is a rather dangerous disease that can lead to death

Diagnosis of diabetes in the elderly

When you go to the hospital, the first thing your doctor will prescribe is to give blood from your finger for analysis, where your sugar level is determined. All people over the age of 40 are recommended to be tested for sugar at least every two to three years.

Indicators of 3.5 to 6 mmol are considered the norm of capillary blood sugar content. If the blood test results show 6 to 7 mmol, it is considered prediabetes. All values above 7 mmol require immediate medical attention.

In modern medicine, several diagnostic solutions are recommended:

Blood test for hemoglobin;
Urine analysis for the presence of protein;
When a person has complaints of fatigue;
Significantly impaired vision;
Lower limb problems.

Sometimes the diagnosis of the disease is complicated by the absence of symptoms. Detection of the disease in the elderly is especially problematic.

This is due to age-related fatigue, memory problems, dizziness, many of which lead to the conclusion that senile dementia occurs, and do not go to the doctor on time.

When a person is not treated for diabetes, the disease progresses and the consequences are unpredictable.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is tough to manage, yet it is still curable.

Unfortunately, patients older than 45 years have a large number of concomitant diseases that do not allow treatment in full.

Drug-free therapy. Such a course of treatment involves finding a person on a regular diet, followed by physical activity. With a diet, foods that contain animal fats and carbohydrates are limited. Sugar-containing products should not be used strictly, sugar substitutes will help. The diet should be constant over time, skipping the diet is impossible. Attention is also paid to physical condition, for which simple gymnastics should be done, and yoga for the elderly is also suitable;
Drug methods. A variety of blood sugar-lowering medicines are available. The main groups of drugs used are biguanides, thiazolidinedione derivatives, acarbose, inhibitors, inclining, and others. All medications are used only as prescribed by a doctor;
Insulin therapy. This is a set of necessary measures that include disturbances in the balance of carbohydrate metabolism that occur as a result of the intake of insulin into the patient's body.

A disease like diabetes often leads to irreversible processes in the body, which significantly reduces life expectancy.

Conclusion

From all the above, it should be understood that the sooner you go to the hospital, and they have the slightest symptoms, the more likely you are to start treatment on time.

The main responsibility for the health condition lies with the people themselves. Take care of your health and the health of those you love.

Type 2 diabetes and what is its characteristic

Type 2 diabetes is an acquired chronic disease that is associated with a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. The patient has so-called insulin resistance, i.e. insensitivity of the cells of the internal organs to insulin. At the beginning of the disease, the pancreas still synthesizes this hormone, but the utilization of glucose is difficult, the person can no longer independently "fight" with an increase in blood sugar.

In the advanced stage, the pancreas completely loses its ability to produce insulin and requires external sources of this hormone.

There are several specific forms of diabetes in medicine, but two are the best known. Both are undergoing some corrections but unfortunately are still considered incurable. Since we are interested in type 2 diabetes, we should take a closer look at its features.

What is the difference between type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes

If the pathology of the first type, which occurs mainly in children and adolescents, appears suddenly and unexpectedly, then the maturation of the second type of pancreas occurs.

Type 1 diabetes is linked to a hereditary predisposition, whereas type 2 diabetes is linked to lifestyle factors.

The first is necessarily insulin-dependent because the hormone is not produced independently, the second is generally not, although it may be necessary to give insulin at the most extreme stage.

According to a WHO survey, in the world (mostly in developed countries) 5 to 7 percent of the population suffers from diabetes. Moreover, among retirees over the age of 65, diabetics already have 20%. The second form is diagnosed much more often than the others (80% of cases). And when it comes to mortality, plague in the twentieth century ranked third after insidious oncology and cardiovascular pathologies. The WHO’s prognosis is also disappointing: despite the development of medicine, the number of patients with “sweet disease” is progressing. On the one hand, this is due to the general aging of the world's population, and on the other, due to the mass "rejuvenation" of the disease due to improper diet and behavioral behavior - hyperdynamic.

Moreover, since we have decided to dispel most of the myths about diabetes, it is worth mentioning such a feature of modern pharmaceutical products because the focus is not on treatment, but on alleviating the symptoms of any serious disease. Most drugs are sold in a network of popular pharmacies, and that is more than 85% can not be called a drug. They only alleviate the symptoms.

The same thing happens with diabetes medications. A diabetic is forced to take at least two medications to normalize blood pressure, but why should he? Because high or low blood pressure is just a symptom of the disease or a symptom that indicates the development of a post-diabetic complication. Why “cure” it while the main root of evil is still advancing?

It is profitable to sell medicines to pharmacists. They, among other things, have a number of side effects that further weaken the body. Thus, they are secured by demand, because they acquire regular customers who are forced to sit on tablets for the rest of their lives.

For "freshly cut" diabetics, it is important to learn how to properly monitor what, when, and how much to eat, as well as the variety of daily physical activity routines. You should not immediately run to the pharmacy and buy all the medications prescribed by your doctor, as some of them are not only unnecessary but also harmful.

Normalize blood sugar can and should be a low-carbohydrate diet combined with physical activity. It is another matter if the diabetes is in an advanced stage. In this case, not only the disease is put on the agenda, but also its complications, which are the cause of the growing mortality of the world's population.

To one has ever really looked for an effective cure for diabetes. It is simply unprofitable! If you cure it now, the pharmacist will lose most of his income. "Sweet disease" is a golden disease that brings a lot of money.

It is tough to realize that the body is gradually aggravating this condition on your own. It is usually detected during a third study when an excess of glucose in the blood plasma (hyperglycemia) is detected on an empty stomach - this is the main symptom of diabetes. Often this is not clinically obvious.

Of course, other symptoms are characteristic of a "sweet disease" whose presence is often prescribed for other diseases. This makes it difficult to diagnose. Many have lived with him for years and are unaware of it. A person may not be aware of endocrine diseases and begin to sound the alarm only when they “get” the dangerous complications of diabetes (diabetic foot, vision impairment, etc.). Therefore, the diagnosis is most often made after laboratory tests of blood for sugar.

It is especially recommended to control the situation in the presence of related factors.

Excessive consumption of sweets and other carbohydrates.
Lifestyle - sitting, sitting.
Overweight or obese.
High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
If the family already has diabetics.
Older than 50 years.

With the development of diabetes, an analysis done on an empty stomach shows an excess of glucose in the body two to three times.

You should know that the norm of blood sugar is in the range from 3.5 mmol / l to 6.1 mmol / l.

All of the above is considered hyperglycemia: mild (up to 8.2 mmol / L), moderate (up to 11.0 mmol / L), severe (above 11.1 mmol / L). After a meal, the indicator should not exceed 8.0 mmol / L, and before bedtime is allowed - from 6.2 mmol / L to 7.5 mmol / L.

Can diabetes be cured?

After receiving a disappointing diagnosis, a person must ask such a question. Unfortunately, it is impossible to fully recover, but it is quite possible to mitigate someone's destiny and prolong the years of active existence.

Although type 2 diabetes mellitus cannot be cured, the essence of its "stopping" comes down to the maximum reduction of blood sugar to values that are close to normal, this is also called compensation. Strictly following the recommendations of an endocrinologist, the patient can significantly improve his condition and well-being.

But for that, you need to work on yourself. First, constantly monitor your blood sugar (laboratory tests, glucometers), and second, change your lifestyle, improving its quality.

Cessation of bad habits: overeating, smoking, alcohol.
Therapeutic diet
Fractional diet in small meals - 6 times a day.
Regular walks in the fresh air and moderate physical activity (exercise, swimming, cycling).
Maintaining optimal weight based on the constitution, gender, and age.
Maintaining blood pressure no more than 130 to 80.
Phytotherapy
The moderate use of certain medications (if necessary, insulin).

Diabetes in old age

Etiology of type 2 diabetes in old age

The risk of type II diabetes is largely determined not only by age category but also by a number of other factors. These include nutritional balance, physical fitness, the presence of chronic diseases, etc.

Speaking more specifically about the etiological factors, the following can be distinguished:

Genetic predisposition. If at least one relative of diabetics is present in the family, the risk of developing it at a young or old age doubles.
Obesity. This is the second most popular reason for the development of the disease in the elderly because disturbed lipid metabolism relentlessly leads to this pathology. This is often associated with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet.
Stressful stimuli. Many grandparents experience hypertension, and with the excitement of any intensity, there is an increase in blood pressure, which leads to an increased release of cortisol or stress hormones. Constant voltages can result in insulin resistance.
Taking some prescribed medications. Many people by age already have a whole "bunch" of chronic diseases, from which it is simply necessary to take medication. The most dangerous drugs that cause an increase in sugar are:

steroids;
thiazide diuretics;
psychotropic drugs;
beta-blockers.

Sometimes the cause of diabetes is a previously transmitted viral infectious disease or pathology of the pancreas (pancreatitis, tumor-like neoplasms, etc.).

The predisposition of the elderly to diabetes

Attention: hyperglycemia in people involved in intellectual activity is detected much more often than when working with physical prejudice.

How to suspect disease in time: symptoms

Difficulty in the timely diagnosis of type II diabetes is expressed in an almost asymptomatic course.

The features of the clinical picture are:

There are no clear symptoms. The symptoms are often disguised as other diseases.
If in young people diabetes is manifested by sweating, thirst, and tachycardia, the older person will feel weakness, confusion, dizziness.
Due to the impaired function of counter-regulatory systems, the hypoglycemic state lasts longer.

Common symptoms of diabetes

In most situations, the signs of diabetes are confused with age-related changes and are taken for ordinary age. Neither the patient nor his relatives can speculate to check and detect blood sugar and identify pathology in a timely manner.

Some symptoms may be helpful in this regard, which should be carefully monitored:

fatigue, scandal, depression, weakening of mental abilities;
blood pressure problems (infrequent cases of hypertension);
dizziness and fainting when rising abruptly from bed;
impaired vision;
swelling of the lower extremities;
dry skin, resulting in itching;
long wound healing;
colic.

The most important sign of diabetes is a feeling of extreme thirst due to the need for the kidneys to excrete excess glucose in the urine. In older people, the brain center that controls water balance often acts with abnormalities.

As a result, the retiree loses thirst, even in situations of severe dehydration. The sick person begins to get used to dry mouth. Often patients enter a medical facility in the last stage of dehydration, when delirium, excitability, confusion develop after which they may fall into a coma.

Weakness in the elderly with diabetes

Diagnosis in progress

As we have already said, diagnostic measures are complicated by an erased clinical picture and untimely access to a doctor. Diabetes in the elderly is most often discovered by chance, for example, when examining other diseases.

In case of suspicion of this type of pathology, a visit to an endocrinologist is recommended, where a series of tests will be suggested:

Attention: One of the features of diabetes detection is an accurate diagnosis. In the elderly, on an empty stomach, in many cases hyperglycemia is absent, and after a meal, it rises sharply. Therefore, the study is best performed not only on an empty stomach but also after meals (an indicator of postprandial glycemia).

What are the consequences of diabetes in the elderly and the elderly

Diabetes mellitus is one of the causes of increased mortality in the elderly, and more often than the disease itself, it causes complications. The most common are heart attacks and strokes.

It is vascular disorders that develop most strongly:

Microangiopathies. The blood vessels of the lower extremities are affected, the kidneys, the vision begins to deteriorate.
macroangiopathy The main etiology is atherosclerosis. At the same time, there is progressive development of ischemia, vascular lesions of the brain, increased susceptibility to heart attack, and stroke.
Polyneuropathy. The nervous system begins to suffer, and this is expressed in paresthesias, decreased sensitivity, and reflexes, pain in the limbs.
Diabetic foot. Dry skin on the foot and the appearance of microcracks lead to the appearance of long healing wounds. If you do not follow this moment, gangrene can develop and, as a result, amputation of the foot.

The approximate percentage of possible complications is expressed by the following figures:

Coronary heart disease or otherwise coronary heart disease - 30%;
neuropathy and central nervous system damage - 15%;
vascular disorders of the legs - 30%
vascular lesions of the eyes - 20%;
proteinuria - 5-10%;
renal failure in the chronic stage of the course - 1%.

Attention: the most dangerous for diabetes is not the heart attack itself, but the lack of the possibility of intravenous glucose infusions to support the work of the heart. Therefore, therapy and recovery are the most difficult and sometimes fatal.

Methods of treatment

The treatment of diabetes in old age is complicated by the presence of concomitant chronic diseases, low patient learning, social factors (poverty, helplessness, loneliness), senile dementia, etc ..

All this is a rather difficult task for the doctor, so some data are given before therapy:

the possibility of prescribing drugs and their interaction;
what is the age;
whether there are cardiovascular complications;
predisposition to hypoglycemia;
whether there are complications.

Based on the obtained data, a number of treatment measures are prescribed individually, taking into account each specific case.

Drug therapy

The most commonly used medications are:

Metformin. This is the number one drug in the treatment of type II diabetes. Use it in the absence of kidney damage and other pathologies in which there is starvation of kidney structures and cells with oxygen. It lowers blood sugar well and has a beneficial effect on the patient.
Compounds. These are subcutaneous injections that cause weight loss.
Thiazolidinedione. These drugs increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
Ascorbosis. This is a drug that reduces the processing of complex carbohydrates, resulting in less release of sugar into the blood.

In addition, insulin replacement therapy may be prescribed, which significantly improves the well-being of the elderly.

Adherence to diet

A balanced, healthy diet is an important part of treating diabetes. Do not take pills and bite their cake.

Elderly people with diabetes are recommended:

monitor weight indicators, prevent further obesity, and lose extra pounds (500 g per week is considered the norm);
reduce salt intake;
eat seafood because they increase insulin production;
refuse greasy, sweet, smoked, spicy foods.

It is best to turn to the existing diet number 9, designed especially for diabetics.

Therapeutic exercise

In old age, it is not necessary to get up from the floor and perform complex acrobatic tricks. To normalize health, it is enough to start with half-hour walks and gradually increase the intensity of classes.

It should always be borne in mind that such events are carried out only under the supervision of a physician, taking into account existing chronic diseases. Physical therapy increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin, normalizes blood pressure and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

Classes are not recommended for:

ketoacidosis;
staged decompensation of diabetes;
chronic renal failure;
damage to the blood vessels of the eyes;
angina pectoris.

Treatment methods will be prescribed directly by a doctor, so we will limit ourselves to just a few recommendations:

Be sure to follow the established treatment regimen. If you have memory problems, keep a record of where you will celebrate each medication. You can also set an alarm at the time of the next medication.
Start physical therapy. For a start, the load should be minimal, and then for health reasons and expert advice.
Limit your intake of foods high in carbohydrates to lower your blood sugar. It is best to stick to a regular balanced diet.
If you have bad habits, be sure to give them up.
Get a glucometer with which you can monitor your sugar level yourself.

Alternative therapy is also possible, but you should consult a specialist in advance.

Diabetes prevention

It is impossible to precisely prevent the onset of diabetes, but you can try to prevent it, especially if there is a predisposition for its onset.

For this purpose, it is necessary to observe a few very simple rules:

Monitor your nutritional balance. Avoid constant saturation with complex carbohydrates. If you gain extra pounds, start fighting it right away.
Try to avoid contact with virus carriers, as viral infections are one of the driving causes of diabetes.
Playing sports has a positive effect on the whole body.
Give up bad habits immediately, you will prolong your life for a few years.

Preventive actions

Often older people suffer from loneliness, are in social isolation, poverty, and helplessness. All this causes psycho-emotional deviations.

In particular, the course of diabetes can be exacerbated by impaired memory, making it difficult to take medication on time. In this case, the main task is not to compensate for diabetes mellitus, but to organize proper care and general medical care.