Falls Injuries and Type 2 Diabetes: Background and Future Directions

Background: Falls are a serious health concern among older populations. Similarly, type 2 diabetes, a chronic disabling disease is highly prevalent among older individuals. Yet, falls are clearly an important overlooked complication of type 2 diabetes. Objective: This editorial was created with a view to emphasizing the importance of acknowledging, as well as intervening upon, those factors associated with type 2 diabetes that raise an elderly patient's falls risk. Methods: All relevant peer reviewed articles focusing on the topic and published over the last 2 decades were retrieved and reviewed. Results: Increasing numbers of research papers support the view that the older type 2 diabetes patients is at heightened risk for falls and their deleterious outcomes. Several strategies for preventing falls or reducing falls risk among older type 2 diabetes patients are consequently evidenced in the recent literature as well. Conclusion: Raising awareness that there is a higher risk of falling among elderly type 2 diabetes patients than the healthy elderly among medical providers and first responders who oversee the care of these patients is highly indicated. Standard guidelines in clinical practice to assess falls risk are highly recommended for this patient population to avert serious and costly health outcomes.