[Individualized treatment of diabetic patients in special clinical situations]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a complex disease that is frequently associated with a constellation of risk factors that contribute to worsening morbidity and mortality in affected individuals. To increase quality of life in these persons, both hyperglycemia and other risk factors need to be considered. The first step is probably to establish the glycemic targets for each patient at each stage of the disease. Currently, clinical practice guidelines recommend individualizing glycemic targets with HbA1c values that range from 6-8.5%, depending on the patient's characteristics. Nine different antidiabetic drug families are available, each with distinct characteristics, thus allowing multiple combinations to aid the individual approach to hyperglycemia in each patient at each time point. There are numerous treatment algorithms that aim to simplify and summarize the various therapeutic possibilities. However, with some exceptions, these algorithms do not take into account the individual characteristics of each patient and are excessively general. To select the most appropriate drug for each patient at distinct moments, it is essential to evaluate the patient's comorbidities, such as heart failure, frailty, and the risk of hypoglycemias.