Did you know that after the age of 75 the target blood sugar levels change?
We tend to loosen the tight recommendations of blood sugar levels after the age of 75 to prevent the risk of low blood sugar events. People over 75 years old also tend to see a fluctuation in their blood glucose levels more than they did in their younger years, meaning they are slightly more sensitive to treatment. After the age of 75, without diabetes complications, recommended fasting levels are 125-150 g/dl; less than 145-200 g/dl two hours after the start of a meal; and an A1C of 6.5-7.5%. All of those ranges, although higher than recommended for those younger than 75, balance the risk and complications of high blood sugars with the risk of preventing low blood sugars.
For example, I do not want to see my 93-year-old frail grandma having the same target blood sugars as my active 53-year-old friend who’s a construction worker. If we over-control grandma, she would be prone to low blood sugars. If she happens to fall from a low blood sugar, she could break a hip or worse. The risk in that situation outweighs the benefit.
On the flip side, if a 53-year-old construction worker was to have the same situation happen to him, there’s a higher likelihood that he won’t break any bones from his fall. Even if he did, he would likely recover and rehab well from the situation. Plus, he also has decades to live and has a goal of preventing complications such as irreversible kidney damage (leads to dialysis), diabetic retinopathy (leads to blindness), diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), or plain disease progression. In his case, tight control of his blood sugars far outweighs the risk of a low blood sugar.
So don’t be alarmed if treatments change as you age, they are supposed to!
Diabetes management is individualized based on each person’s situation, so don’t compare your numbers to those of others.
If you want help finding what your specific blood sugar levels are appropriate for you and your lifestyle, reach out to our team for support. We also have an online course you’d benefit from! Read more about the Diabetes 4 Me program.
