Contents:
- Medical Video: Checking Your Blood Glucose | Diabetes Discharge | Nucleus Health
- Fasting blood sugar
- When blood sugar
- What is the target of normal blood sugar levels for the elderly with diabetes?
- The difficulty of diagnosing diabetes in the elderly
Medical Video: Checking Your Blood Glucose | Diabetes Discharge | Nucleus Health
Keeping blood sugar levels within normal limits is the main goal that people with diabetes want to achieve. This is done to prevent deterioration of the condition and prevent various complications. The nature of diabetes, which tends to worsen year after year, is one reason why diabetes control needs to be done.
For sufferers, blood sugar measuring devices are certainly no stranger. With this device they are able to know the extent to which their treatment is successful in controlling blood sugar levels. Through blood sugar measuring devices they can also check blood sugar independently at home.
When checking blood sugar is done independently, you certainly need to know how many numbers of referrals are indicators of normal blood sugar levels. Normal blood sugar levels at hospital checks usually have the same reference numbers for everyone, including the elderly. However, checking blood sugar independently at home can have different reference numbers or recommendations for the elderly.
Fasting blood sugar
Checking fasting blood sugar is usually done after fasting for 8-12 hours. In checking this type of blood sugar, a person is said to have normal blood sugar levels if it is less than 100 mg / dl with the lowest levels at 60 - 70 mg / dl. You are said to have prediabetes if your blood sugar level is at 100 -125 mg / dl. On top of that, you have diabetes. This number applies to all ages, including the elderly.
When blood sugar
When diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor will recommend to check blood sugar independently and periodically to monitor blood sugar levels in the body. The American Diabetes Association sets the numbers 80-130 mg / dl for blood sugar levels before meals and below 180 mg / dl at two hours after fasting.
What is the target of normal blood sugar levels for the elderly with diabetes?
Elderly people who have diabetes but with well-controlled blood sugar conditions can refer to the reference numbers mentioned above to assess whether their blood sugar levels are within normal limits. However, in some elderly people who target their normal blood sugar levels up to the reference numbers above can increase the risk of too low blood sugar levels aka hypoglycemia. The use of insulin and certain diabetes drugs can also increase the likelihood of you experiencing dizziness and loss of consciousness when trying to reach normal blood sugar levels in accordance with written references.
It is recommended that you consult a doctor if a family member has entered the age of the elderly and routinely controls blood sugar. Ask your doctor for advice about the reference numbers that can be used which are still within safe limits, especially for those who have chronic diseases, cognitive impairments, and those who depend on other people's daily help.
The difficulty of diagnosing diabetes in the elderly
The best way to prevent various kinds of complications from diabetes is to detect them as early as possible. Unbalanced lifestyle is one of the main factors causing diabetes. In fact, according to Prof. Dr. Dr. Ketut Suastika, Chair of PB PERKENI, who was met at the Cities Changing Diabetes program at the city hall in Jakarta, said that type two diabetes can be found in children aged 15 years.
If suspected diabetes can be more easily found in adults or even children and adolescents, diabetes in the elderly is more difficult to diagnose. They may experience urinary incontinence, dry mouth, or other faint signs. With the presence of urinary incontinence that is often experienced by the elderly, detection of diabetes through one of its symptoms, namely frequent urination, becomes difficult to identify. Many people who live with elderly people who have diabetes can misinterpret these signs as a sign of normal aging.
For this reason, it is important for elderly assistants to pay more attention to their condition. Regular health checks can help detect diabetes in the elderly. Also make sure that the elderly with diabetes adhere to treatment, meal planning, and healthy lifestyle changes.
