New IDF Guideline for managing type 2 diabetes in older people

Just over 8.3% of the global population has diabetes.1 Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes but the diagnosis is often missed or delayed because the clinical presentation is different from that in younger people. Diabetes is a major cause of complications, reduced quality of life and changed physical and mental functioning in older people.2,3,4 It is also a leading cause of death in older people from cardiovascular and other related medical co-morbidities. In addition, many older people have additional risk factors for diabetes and may have undiagnosed complications.