Characteristics and Prevalence of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus under Prescription of Oral Hypoglycemic Agents who Meet Insulinization Criteria

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics and prevalence of patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (dm2) under prescription of oral hypoglycemic agents who meet insulinization criteria. Methods: descriptive cross-sectional study. 367 records of patients with dm2, aged 30 to 70 years attending the Family Medicine Unit No. 20 in Mexico City, were analyzed, with at least three months of treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of dm2, type of oral hypoglycemic agent, comorbidities and the criteria for initiation of insulin treatment were recorded according to the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Results: of the total number of patients, the average age was 56.5 years (sd±9.0), 58.3% were women, and 50.1% were controlled (n=184). 37.6% of patients met the criteria for insulinization, their characteristics were: age 61-70 years, 42.8%; women, 52.9%; dedicated to the household, 32.6%; married, 66.7%; dm2 time of evolution of 1-5 years, 32.6%; 95.7% presented comorbidities, obesity, 52.9%; arterial hypertension, 52.2%; and dyslipidemia, 51.4%; neuropathy, 18.8%, nephropathy, 3.6%, and retinopathy, 2.9%. Conclusions: there was a high percentage of uncontrolled patients under prescription of oral hypoglycemic agents, more than one third met the criteria for initiation of insulin therapy, while most of these patients had some type of comorbidity.