RESEARCH has found the rising use of insulin and ongoing high use of another antidiabetic drug, sulfonylureas, are both associated with heightened risk of hypoglycaemia in aged care residents with diabetes.
The study, recently published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, led by the Registry of Senior Australians, examined de-identified data from 140,322 residents across 3,273 aged care homes, identifying potential gaps in diabetes management.
"We found insulin use increased and sulfonylureas were still used by one in five residents," said study researcher Yohanas Wondimkun from University of South Australia.
"These medications can help to manage diabetes but can increase the risk of hypoglycaemia and have been targeted for national intervention to limit medication-induced harm in aged care homes."
The annual percentage of residents with diabetes treated with blood sugar-lowering medications was generally stable at 64% over the 11-year study period.
Metformin was the most commonly-prescribed drug throughout the study, taken by 36% of people in 2009 and increasing to 44% in 2019.
"On the positive side, the use of newer diabetes medications like DPP-4 inhibitors increased by 24% annually, suggesting a general shift towards more costly treatments with a lower risk of hypoglycaemia, based on emerging evidence."
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