jama internal medicine – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Diabetes treatments ‘do more harm than good’ for many people

Treatments to reduce blood sugar levels do more harm than good in many type 2 diabetes patients, particularly older people, finds new research from UCL, the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Hospital.

The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that for many people the benefits of taking diabetes medications are so small that they are outweighed by the minor harms and risks associated with treatment. The benefits of treatment decline with age and by age 75 the harms of most treatments are likely to outweigh any potential benefits. (more…)

For older hypertension patients, an unwelcome tradeoff

By Guest PostFebruary 25, 2014Scienceblood pressure, chronic conditions, fall injury, functional loss, heart attack, jama internal medicine, ling han, mary tinetti, medications, mortality, older hypertension patients, risk, stroke

Medications used by many older people to control their blood pressure also increase the risk of serious fall injuries by 30% to 40% — injuries that have a similar effect on mortality and functional loss as the strokes and heart attacks the blood pressure drugs are meant to prevent — according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers in the Feb. 24 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Clinicians have long assumed that blood pressure medications are safe and effective in all older adults. That is probably true in healthy older adults, but the same might not be true in a more typical population of older adults, who commonly have several other chronic conditions, note the researchers. (more…)

Tag Archives: jama internal medicine

Diabetes treatments ‘do more harm than good’ for many people

For older hypertension patients, an unwelcome tradeoff