An excellent resource created by the team at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, published by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Medication-related guidance includes:
- Carefully evaluate resident comorbidities, overall health and resident/carer preferences.
- Ensure a sensitive discussion and documentation of an individualized treatment plan, glycaemic targets and strategies for medication management.
- Start low and go slow with doses when initiating and/or changing medications.
- Assess and minimise the risk of hypoglycaemia and other adverse effects of medicines used to lower blood glucose.
- Consider use of non-pharmacological alternatives where possible.
- Simplify treatment regimens.
- Avoid sliding scale insulin.
- Conduct annual testing of eGFR (by a blood test) and urinary Albumin/Creatinine Ratio
- Seek multidisciplinary input where necessary.
- Consider reviewing management when falls, confusion and non-specific ‘incidents’ occur.
- Ensure the resident, family members and aged care provider staff are appropriately educated
To read the full guidance, refer here