Challenging aspects of and solutions to diagnosis, prevention, and management of hypoglycemia in critically ill geriatric patients

Abstract

There is a worldwide pandemic of diabetes. Also there is a gradual and steady increase in the elderly population. Often clinicians are faced with managing dysglycemia in the elderly with underlying sepsis and multiple comorbidities. This predisposes the elderly to potentially increased chances of hypoglycemia in inpatient settings. This article reviews the altered renal physiology and its effects in the management of dysglycemia in the elderly population. It also emphasizes the role of renal insufficiency and sepsis as the main etiological factors for hypoglycemia in both diabetics and nondiabetics in the inpatient settings.

Keywords

• Chronic kidney disease
• diabetes
• elderly
• hyperglycemia
• hypoglycemia