Il diabete mellito come fattore di rischio di disabilità nel soggetto anziano

As older adults make up an increasingly lager proportion of the diabetic population, the spectrum of diabetes complications will likely expand. In addition to the traditional cardiovascular complications, diabetes has been associated with excess risk of a number of clinical conditions typical of the geriatric population including, physical disability, falls, fractures, cognitive impairment, and depression. These conditions are common and will profoundly affect the quality of life of older patients with diabetes. The identification of effective ways for preventing and treating these emerging complications, thus improving quality of life among older diabetic patients, is increasingly becoming a mayor issue in geriatric medicine.