DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS IN AN ELDERLY POPULATION

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a significant health concern in the elderly population.
• Effective management and complication prevention are crucial for aged individuals with diabetes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey the incidence, severity, and complications of diabetes mellitus in a population of aged individuals.
• To inform the planning of a diabetic control program for home and hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted on a population of 265 individuals in home and hospital settings.
• Data collected included diabetes status, age of onset, management methods, and presence of complications.

Main Results:

• Twenty-eight percent of the surveyed population had diabetes mellitus.
• The majority of cases had a late onset and were managed by diet alone.
• A low incidence of common diabetes complications (gallbladder disease, hypercholesterolemia, ocular, myocardial, peripheral vascular, and neurological) was observed.

Conclusions:

• The elderly population exhibits a high incidence of diabetes, necessitating detection of undiagnosed cases.
• Despite high incidence, this group demonstrated a low rate of complications, suggesting potential benefits of late-onset diabetes management strategies.
• Biochemical stabilization was achieved without acidosis or ketosis in the studied diabetic elderly population.