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Question: From Ireland: My father, in his early 70s, has had diabetes for over 45 years and had a slight stroke two years ago. He now seems to have more hypos than normal and doesn't get the warnings he used to. Are there particular things he should be doing to avoid this? Answer: Elderly people who have long-standing diabetes quite often lose their symptoms for hypoglycemia, a phenomenon called  hypoglycemia unawareness. This may be due to a general phenomenon of aging and the fact that dietary intake tends to lessen as people get older. Low blood sugar values are a risk factor for future strokes. So, it may be advisable to relax strict metabolic control a little bit, targeting for higher blood sugar values (not too high though). Using pre-meal lispro or Regular insulin with NPH or Lente at bedtime only is a safe approach. This advice should help decrease your father's risk and number of hypoglycemic events. MS [Editor's comment: It's unclear if your father has  type 1 or  type 2  diabetes. It might be worth considering a decrease in his pills or insulin, depending on his current medication plan. In any case, this is an issue that must be discussed with his physician. If he's unwilling to bring it up himself, then you should take the initiative to do so. WWQ] DTQ-20000815105955 Original posting 5 Oct 2000 Posted to Hypoglycemia

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			Jump to a new section --[ Getting Around ]-- Home Page What's New Guide to CWD Help with Error Messages Index Privacy Policy Search Site Map --[ People ]-- Family Support Network Adults with Diabetes Care Photos Chat Rooms Conferences Kids with Diabetes Parents Parent Humor Scholarships and Financial Aid Grandparents Humorous Tidbits Jobs Mailing Lists CWD Forums Poetry and Art Videos Polls Quilt for Life Surveys Blogs --[ Clinic ]-- Ask the Diabetes Team Alternate Site Testing Alternative Treatments Care Suggestions CWD Español Diabetes Basics Diabetes at School 504 Plans Diabetes Camps Diabetes Dictionary Insulin Pumps Nutrition Podcasts Presentations Products Product Marketplace Sports Studies Warning Signs --[ Sources ]-- News and Information Diabetes Advocacy Links to Other Web Sites Press Releases Regional Information Services Support Groups --[ Feedback ]-- About CWD Get CWD Products Advertise Awards Contribute Your Experiences Disclaimer Letters to the Editor Logos and Linking Share our Brochures

Last Updated: Sun Jan 15 12:18:20 2006
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