Potential Overtreatment Of Older Patients With T2d: The Global Discover Study

Background: Guidelines endorse a target HbA1c of < 7% for most people with T2D, but less stringent goals (e.g., HbA1c < 8%) and medications with a low risk of causing hypoglycemia are recommended for older patients. We examined the prevalence of potential overtreatment in a global cohort of older patients with T2D. Methods: DISCOVER is an ongoing, observational study of 15 992 patients with T2D initiating second-line glucose-lowering therapy in 38 countries. HbA1c levels and glucose-lowering therapies were recorded at baseline (initiation of second-line therapy), 6, 12 and 24 months. The analysis includes patients aged ≥ 65 years with a recorded baseline HbA1c level. Insulin, sulfonylureas, and meglitinides are medications associated with risk of hypoglycemia. Results: Among 3492 older patients, 2110 (60.4%) and 812 (23.3%) had an HbA1c level of < 8% and < 7% at baseline, respectively. The proportions of patients with HbA1c < 7% increased to more than 50% during follow-up (Figure). A third or more of these patients received medications associated with risk of hypoglycemia at baseline and during follow-up. Conclusions: In this global cohort, including patients from both lower-middle- and higher-income countries, many older patients with good glycemic control (HbA1c < 7%) received medications that are associated with increased risk of hypoglycemia. A more tailored management of hyperglycemia may be needed in this population. Disclosure B. Bongaerts: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca. S.V. Arnold: None. B. Charbonnel: Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi, Servier. Speaker's Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. H. Chen: Employee; Self; AstraZeneca. J. Cid-Ruzafa: Employee; Self; Evidera. P. Fenici: Employee; Self; AstraZeneca. M.B. Gomes: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca. Consultant; Self; Merck KGaA. Research Support; Self; CNPq, FAPERJ. L. Ji: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca. Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca, Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck KGaA, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Roche Pharma, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novartis AG, Roche Pharma, Sanofi. K. Khunti: Advisory Panel; Self; Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi-Aventis. Speaker's Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Berlin-Chemie AG, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Menarini Group, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Roche Pharma, Sanofi, Servier, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. M.N. Kosiborod: Consultant; Self; Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eisai Co., Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline plc., Glytec, LLC, Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. G. Luporini Saraiva: Employee; Self; AstraZeneca. J. Medina: Employee; Self; AstraZeneca. A. Nicolucci: Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk A/S. Research Support; Self; Artsana S.p.A., Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi-Aventis. S. Pocock: Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca. S.M. Sadikot: Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca. M.V. Shestakova: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca. Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi, Servier. Research Support; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. I. Shimomura: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho. Consultant; Self; MSD K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Research Support; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kaken Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kowa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, MSD K.K., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kowa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lotte Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, MSD K.K., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited. F. Surmont: Employee; Self; AstraZeneca. F. Tang: Employee; Self; Mid America Heart Institute. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca. H. Watada: Research Support; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk A/S, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novo Nordisk A/S, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Terumo Medical Corporation. Other Relationship; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Kowa Pharmaceutical Europe Co. Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanwa Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. W. Rathmann: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca. Consultant; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH. Research Support; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. Speaker's Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S. Funding AstraZeneca