Disease

Diabetes in Older People

"Diabetes is a serious disease that affects many older adults. Diabetes occurs when a person’s blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. The good news is that you can take steps to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the disease to develop in older adults. If you already have diabetes, there are ways to manage the condition and help prevent diabetes-related health problems."

What is diabetes?

Glucose is the body’s main source of energy. Our bodies can make glucose, and glucose also comes from the food we eat. To use glucose as energy, the body needs insulin, a hormone that helps glucose get into cells. If you have diabetes, your body may not make enough insulin, use insulin in the right way, or both. That can cause too much glucose to stay in the blood, which can cause health problems over time.

A comprehensive introduction into diabetes provided by NIH's National Institute on Aging. If you are not very familiar with diabetes, this is an excellent resource to better help you understand this life changing disease.