Reasons why elderly people with diabetes are reluctant to use insulin

1. Worry about addiction

Addiction is the main reason why elderly people with diabetes refuse or terminate insulin treatment without authorization. Since elderly people with diabetes have varying degrees of complications and require long-term insulin injections, many people with diabetes and their family members are convinced that they are addicted to insulin and are trying their best to prevent insulin treatment.

In fact, insulin secretion is regulated by blood sugar levels. For people with diabetes who do not have enough insulin in their bodies, they can only supplement insulin to help their own insulin maintain normal or near-normal blood sugar levels. Normal or high blood sugar will also stimulate irritation. The beta cells of the pancreas secrete insulin, so long-term use will not cause dependence on insulin. People with diabetes should realize that insulin is an essential hormone for the human body, and exogenous insulin supplementation is a necessary way to treat diabetes. It is also the most physiological, most effective, and least side effect treatment method. People cannot survive without insulin, and it is definitely not a harmful and useless "drug".

2. Worry about hypoglycemia

Elderly diabetic patients often suffer from hypoglycemia during medication due to impaired blood sugar stabilization mechanism. Therefore, diabetic patients have a fear of using insulin.

Faced with hypoglycemia, people with diabetes should know:

(1) Hypoglycemic reactions are inevitable. The lower limit of normal blood sugar level is the critical level of hypoglycemia. People with diabetes who maintain ideal blood sugar control standards will inevitably experience hypoglycemic reactions of varying degrees under the influence of complex and changeable causes of blood sugar fluctuations;

(2) Hypoglycemic reactions are preventable and treatable, but failure to strictly control blood sugar can cause chronic complications that are difficult to reverse.

(3) Treat hypoglycemic reactions correctly, control early blood sugar to a lower level, and allow the reversibly damaged pancreatic beta cells to "recuperate", which can increase endogenous insulin reserves, partially rebuild the blood sugar homeostasis mechanism, and reduce future hypoglycemia. Incidence of glycemic reactions.

3. Worry about inconvenient injections and injection errors

Due to impaired vision and memory, elderly people with diabetes are easily confused about the dosage, dosage form, extraction scale and sequence of insulin, and are afraid of using it incorrectly, excessively or insufficiently.

Elderly patients with diabetes cannot clearly see the syringe scale due to reduced vision. If necessary, family members should learn how to inject insulin and become a powerful assistant in cooperating with insulin treatment for patients with diabetes. In addition, people with diabetes and their family members should master the "three accuracy and one attention" when injecting insulin, that is, accurate time, accurate dosage, accurate dosage form, and pay attention to the injection site. For those with diabetes who are older, have thick abdominal fat, have poor vision, or use short-acting insulin, abdominal subcutaneous injection is preferred; for those who use medium- and long-acting insulin, it is best to inject the buttocks and fix one for a period of time. Inject the anatomical areas in turns to avoid long-term injection at the same site, which may cause local malabsorption.

4. Worry about social barriers

Since insulin injections require regular medication, the elderly often dare not go out, travel, visit relatives and friends, or participate in various activities due to insulin injections. Elderly patients with diabetes should be patiently enlightened and should not delay treatment for fear of trouble. Premix can be used to reduce the number of injections and extend the rest time, which is convenient for traveling, traveling, visiting relatives and friends, and participating in social activities.

5. Worry about increased financial costs

For diabetics who use insulin, the cost of oral hypoglycemic drugs, lipid-lowering drugs, and antihypertensive drugs is not low. The results of the British Prospective Diabetes Study show that intensive insulin treatment can help reduce the incidence of complications and effectively control blood sugar. It is the largest investment in one's long-term health and is also an effective means of reducing medical costs.