Growing older can affect blood sugar levels, putting seniors at risk for health complications not always common in younger people. Sometimes the symptoms of diabetes are mistaken for signs associated with the normal aging process. Other illnesses make it difficult to maintain blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, the risk of complications rises with age and blood glucose levels.
Symptoms
Symptoms of high blood sugar levels include weakness, fatigue, extreme thirst, frequent urination, infections and blurry vision. High blood glucose levels in the elderly can also cause electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. Blurry vision and weakness often lead to falls and bone fractures. This puts seniors, especially those with osteoporosis, at increased risk for hip and compression fractures of the spine.
Long-Term Effects
Dr. Steven Edelman, Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of California, San Diego, warns that poorly controlled diabetes over the long term can lead to complications such as kidney disease, neuropathy, heart disease or retinopathy -- an eye disease that causes blindness. In severe cases, nerve damage can lead to amputations. Kidney failure is another serious complication of high blood sugar levels that requires dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Memory Problems
The findings of a study published in the 2008 issue of "Annals of Neurology" suggest that maintaining blood glucose levels may help preserve cognitive health in the aging. Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center speculate that memory declines could, in part, be due to rising blood sugar levels that occur, as individuals grow older. Exercise, improved diet and medication to improve glucose metabolism could have the effect of preventing age-related cognitive impairment for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.
Disease Management
Diabetes and its associated chronic diseases and complications negatively impact the health and well-being of the elderly population. Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease -- a leading cause of death among Americans. Seniors with kidney disease are at even higher risk for cardiovascular disease, according to the American Society of Nephrology. Additionally, depression, dementia and malnutrition often go undetected in the elderly until complications occur. Regular physical activity along with routine screening for diabetes for high-risk elderly patients may help prevent the development of multiple chronic diseases and other health conditions related to high blood glucose levels.
References
- abc News; What Causes High Blood Sugar And What Harm Can It Do To My Body; Steven Edelman; August 2008
- Columbia University Medical Center; Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center Link Blood Sugar to Normal Cognitive Aging; December 2008
- American Society of Nephrology; Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly With Kidney Disease; Wolfgang Winkelmayer
