[Cardiovascular event in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus].

Diabetes mellitus increases approximately twice the risk of cardiovascular events even in older patients. In addition, cardiovascular disease is one of the most important causes of death in older patients with diabetes. However, any large-scale clinical trials have never demonstrated that strict glycemic control could lead to reduction in cardiovascular risk. On the other hand, several studies have shown as follows: Glycemic control in early stage might be important for suppression of cardiovascular events in future. Avoiding hypoglycemia is most important for elderly patients with long history of diabetes and atherosclerosis.