ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled to the extent that diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS) develops, is a lifethreatening complication for a patient of any age. When that individual is an older adult, there are additional challenges to the diagnosis and management of these two states, in part by virtue of age-related physiological changes but also because of comorbidity. Functional and social factors may also contribute to the development of DKA and HHNS or play a role in the management of these serious complications. Although some objective data exist on which to base recommendations in older adults with these serious acute complications of diabetes, a need for ongoing investigation exists.
