Dementia More Common In Type 2 Diabetics Experiencing Hypoglycemia
Posted Apr 16 2009 12:34am
Significant hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) episodes in Type 2 diabetics might increase the risk of dementia. That's what a study, performed by Kaiser Permanente personnel, suggests after 16,000 patients were tracked over a 22 year period.
Compared with patients with no hypoglycemia, patients with one severe hypoglycemic episode had a 26% increased risk of dementia; those with two episodes had an 80% increased risk; and people who had had three or more episodes had nearly double the risk, the authors reported in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.
A large body of research suggests diabetics are more at risk for dementia, but the reason is unclear. Diabetes drugs that induce hypoglycemia may cause brain-cell death in older people, the authors suggest.
The research was one of a collection of studies and commentaries in the journal, which this week was focused entirely on diabetes.
Keep in mind that hypoglycemia should be more unusual in Type 2 diabetics as compared to Type 1 diabetics. The inherent insulin resistance of Type 2 diabetes likely requires more significant "errors" (by patient and/or health care personnel), or a fairly radical departure from usual levels of food intake, exercise, or usual medication doses, for a significant hypoglycemia event to occur.
Keep in mind that hypoglycemia should be more unusual in Type 2 diabetics as compared to Type 1 diabetics. The inherent insulin resistance of Type 2 diabetes likely requires more significant "errors" (by patient and/or health care personnel), or a fairly radical departure from usual levels of food intake, exercise, or usual medication doses, for a significant hypoglycemia event to occur.
The USA Today article ishere.