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A1C
A DiabetesTeam Member asked a question 💭

Why is the acceptance of a higher A1C for the elderly acceptable? I read that an A1C above 7 was acceptable for those much older. Is it better than having a low blood sugar?

posted February 4, 2022
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A DiabetesTeam Member

Hey @A DiabetesTeam Member

This is a paragraph from a piece published in the Harvard Journal from a couple of years ago that give the answer to that question - and it does make "total medical sense"

(quote)

Elderly patients, and those with serious medical conditions, will benefit from simply controlling the symptoms they have from high blood sugars, like frequent urination and incontinence, rather than aiming for any particular A1c level.

Who would be included in this group?

People with a life expectancy of less than 10 years, or those who have advanced forms of dementia, emphysema, or cancer; or end-stage kidney, liver, or heart failure.

There is little to no evidence for any meaningful benefit of intervening to achieve a target A1c in these populations; there is plenty of evidence for harm.

In particular, diabetes medications can cause low blood sugars, leading to weakness, dizziness, and falls.

There is the added consideration that elderly and sick patients often end up on a long list of medications that can (and do) interact, causing even more side effects.

(unquote)

I have never put it so eloquently. My own statement tends to be "without being morbid, if the patient is advanced in age is there really any need to try and protect against a complication that may take 20 years to develop?

posted February 4, 2022

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