Potential overtreatment in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: Results from a cross-sectional study in German general practice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is important for general practitioners (GPs) to protect elderly patients with diagnosis of diabetes type 2 (DM2) from overtreatment.

Objective

To analyse the metabolic control and treatment of elderly patients with DM2 in general practices.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved 46 general practices in a federal state of Germany. Inclusion criteria for patients were diagnosis of DM2, age of 70 years or above, no palliative care and at least one practice contact within the last six months. A study nurse randomly selected 10 eligible patients and extracted data on haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), diabetes treatment, secondary prevention and GP's characteristics. Risk of overtreatment was defined as having a HbA1c <47.5 mmol/mol (6.5%) and receiving glucose-lo

SUBMITTER: Weise S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11837937 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature