Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (25)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by THOMSON, F. J.
Right arrow Articles by BOULTON, A. J. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by THOMSON, F. J.
Right arrow Articles by BOULTON, A. J. M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1991 Oxford University Press

research-article

Lack of Knowledge of Symptoms of Hypoglycaemia by Elderly Diabetic Patients

F. J. THOMSON*, E. A. MASSON, J. T. LEEMING and A. J. M. BOULTON

Manchester Royal Infirmary Oxford Road, Manchester Ml3 9WL
Department of Medicine, University of Liverpool PO Box 147, L69 3BX

*Address correspondence to The Diabetes Unit, Hope Hospital, Eccles Old Road, Salford M6 8HD.

The knowledge of symptoms of hypoglycaemia of 45 consecutive elderly diabetic patients was assessed during a structured interview and compared with that of an age-matched non-diabetic control group. Twenty-three (88%) patients taking oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs) and six (32%) insulin-treated patients denied any knowledge of hypoglycaemia. There was no significant difference in knowledge of 14 symptoms of hypoglycaemia between the non-diabetic controls and the combined diabetic (OHA and insulin) groups, but insulin-treated patients were slightly more knowledgeable than patients taking OHAs. Fourteen (54%) of the OHA group were taking either glibenclamide or chlorpropamide which have been associated with severe and prolonged hypoglycaemia. Elderly diabetic patients are unlikely to respond to the warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia and caution should therefore be exercised when prescribing for these patients.

Revision received March 10, 1991.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Diabetes CareHome page
E. Al-Ozairi, L. Sibal, and P. Home
Counterpoint: A Diabetes Outcome Progression Trial (ADOPT): Good for Sulfonylureas?
Diabetes Care, June 1, 2007; 30(6): 1677 - 1680.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Diabetes CareHome page
N. N. Zammitt and B. M. Frier
Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes: Pathophysiology, frequency, and effects of different treatment modalities
Diabetes Care, December 1, 2005; 28(12): 2948 - 2961.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Intern MedHome page
G. H. Murata, R. M. Hoffman, J. H. Shah, C. S. Wendel, and W. C. Duckworth
A Probabilistic Model for Predicting Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Diabetes Outcomes in Veterans Study (DOVES)
Arch Intern Med, July 12, 2004; 164(13): 1445 - 1450.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JRSMHome page
T J Hendra
Starting insulin therapy in elderly patients
J R Soc Med, January 9, 2002; 95(9): 453 - 455.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
M. R. Burge, T. A. Sobhy, C. R. Qualls, and D. S. Schade
Effect of Short-Term Glucose Control on Glycemic Thresholds for Epinephrine and Hypoglycemic Symptoms
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2001; 86(11): 5471 - 5478.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Clin. DiabetesHome page
D. Chau and S. V. Edelman
Clinical Management of Diabetes in the Elderly
Clin. Diabetes, October 1, 2001; 19(4): 172 - 175.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.