Diabetes in Older Adults
Diabetes is a condition that affects individuals of all ages. However, due to hormonal changes and the decrease in capability to regulate bodily functions normally associated with aging, the elderly are generally more frequently diagnosed and easily affected by diabetes and related complications. In the U.S., it is estimated that around 33% of individuals aged 65 or older have diabetes, while many others live undiagnosed but are plagued with diabetic symptoms.
What is Diabetes?
Our bodies obtain energy by turning the food we eat into glucose, which then can be transformed into substances that power other organs and maintain the body’s normal functioning. To regulate the glucose levels in the bloodstream, your body produces insulin, a hormone that facilitates the storage of glucose in cells. Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot produce enough insulin, cannot use insulin in the proper way, or does not respond to insulin properly; it is also possible that all three conditions exist at the same time in select individuals, which results in abnormally high levels of glucose in the bloodstream.
Types of Diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes, which are described below—
Type 1 Diabetes — This is mostly a genetic condition, in which the body produces insufficient amounts or is unable to produce insulin. Although there is no limit as to when this type of diabetes can develop, because it commonly develops in childhood, it is also known as juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes. Those who develop this condition will have diabetes and rely on injected insulin for life.
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can occur suddenly and severely. These include:
Increased thirst and/or hunger
Unexplained and sudden weight loss despite normal appetite
Dry mouth
Frequent urination
Blurred vision
Fatigue, feeling weak
Labored, heavy breathing
Type 2 Diabetes — This is the most common type of diabetes. Those who have been diagnosed with this condition cannot make or use insulin sufficiently, and often develop other circulatory, nervous, and immune system diseases when chronic high sugar levels are left untreated. While it mostly occurs in middle-aged and older adults, it can affect children and adolescents as well. Those who are overweight, inactive, or have a family history of diabetes are at higher risk of developing the disease. There is currently no cure for diabetes, but through managing one’s lifestyle and insulin injections, diabetes can be managed and pose less danger to one’s health.
Type 2 diabetes shares symptoms with type 1 diabetes, but they develop more gradually than in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Other symptoms may include:
Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching of the skin, yeast infections
Weight gain
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
I feel fine, why should I test regularly for diabetes?
Some diabetic individuals may be asymptomatic, and thus depending on your test results and diagnosis, your doctor may recommend you to test for blood sugar levels from every one to two years to every three months. Below are several commonly seen tests that help you detect whether you have, or are at risk of, developing diabetes.
Fasting glucose tests — These tests usually require you to fast for up to 8 hours and measure your blood sugar levels in the morning before you intake anything. If your blood sugar levels are at 126 mg/dL or higher, this may mean that you have diabetes.
Oral glucose tolerance tests — These tests are used to measure how well your body deals with larger amounts of sugar, requiring you to drink a beverage containing glucose then monitoring your blood sugar levels every 30 to 60 minutes for up to 3 hours. If your blood sugar levels are at 200 mg/dL or higher past the 2-hour mark, this may mean that you have diabetes.