Hospital admissions for patients with diabetes jumped 85% in the 12-year period ending in 2005, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In addition, seniors were five times more likely than others to be admitted to the hospital due to diabetes.

In 2005, there were 6.5 million admissions due to diabetes, according to AHRQ’s 2005 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. That amounted to 17% of all hospitalizations.

Some 10,000 per 100,000 patients ages 65 years and older with diabetes were hospitalized. This rate is about five times the national average (2,200 hospitalizations per 100,000 population).

A report summary can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsnumix.htm.