TY - JOUR T1 - Prescription patterns of antihyperglycemic drugs in elderly patients in Spain: A national cross-sectional study JO - Revista Clínica Española (English Edition) T2 - AU - Gómez-Huelgas,R. AU - González,D. AU - Abadias,M. AU - Puig,J. AU - Ena,J. SN - 22548874 M3 - 10.1016/j.rceng.2019.05.007 DO - 10.1016/j.rceng.2019.05.007 UR - https://www.revclinesp.es/en-prescription-patterns-antihyperglycemic-drugs-in-articulo-S2254887419301559 AB - Background and objectiveElderly patients with type 2 diabetes represent a growing and heterogeneous group of subjects where treatment targets and antihyperglycemic drugs prescriptions should be tailored according to coexisting illnesses, functional and social domains. MethodsWe carried-out a national cross-sectional study (from February 2014 to December 2014) to assess prescription patterns and treatment inadequacy in patients with type 2 diabetes older than 65 years with at least 6 months of treatment with antihyperglycemic drugs. ResultsWe included a total of 4917 patients cared by 2100 family physicians and 450 specialists. Diabetes prescriptions were monotherapy (21.2%), dual therapy (58.1%) and triple therapy (20.6%). The most common prescription patterns were metformin in monotherapy (66.5%), metformin plus DPP4 inhibitors in dual therapy (77.3%) and, in triple therapy, oral drugs (45.5%) and oral drugs plus insulin (45.8%). A total of 1272 (25.9%) patients were at risk of serious hypoglycemia, 643 of them due to treatment with secretagogues (25%) or treatment with human insulin types (25.6%). ConclusionsElderly patients with type 2 diabetes often receive antihyperglycemic therapy with higher risk of hypoglycemia. Substitution of secretagogues and human insulin therapy for safer medication could significantly reduce the adverse effects of diabetes treatment in this population. ER -