Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia : what are the treatment goals for the elderly ?

Will my patient actually benefit from the medication that I've prescribed? Faced with an elderly, frail patient, the family doctor is often confronted by this dilemma. This article reviews the evidence that can assist clinicians in determining the best approach to treating diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia in elderly patients, by defining treatment goals specific to each patients' functional and cognitive capacities. Avoiding hypoglycemia and hypotension, with all of their consequences, must remain the highest priority driving objectives for optimal management of diabetes and hypertension in the geriatric population.