Metabolic control and therapeutic profile of patients with diabetes in Portuguese primary care (TEDDI CP)

Abstract Aim To evaluate the metabolic control rate and to characterize the therapeutic profile of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) from Portuguese primary care of National Health Service. Methods Cross-sectional multicentre study conducted in Portuguese primary health care units between July 2011 and May 2012. A national representative sample of 1528 DM2 patients was selected from 51 units, stratified by region. Socio-demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, cardiometabolic risk factors, disease status, HbA 1c levels and therapeutic information were collected. Results Patients' mean age was 65±10.7 years (50.4% males) and median duration of disease was 7 years: range (0–45 years). Almost 8% were smokers, 80.3% had hypertension, 61.6% hypercholesterolemia and almost 15% cardiovascular disease. Patients' health condition was classified with a score of 4 or 5 (excellent) for 60.6%. Median HbA 1c was 6.6% (min–max: 4.2%–13.4%), 64.8% of the patients had HbA 1c 1c ≤6.5%. Oral antidiabetics were used in 94.4% of the patients, antihypertensives in 80.6%, antidyslipidemics in 72.0%, antiplatelet agents in 50.6% and insulin in 8.3%. Conclusions Metabolic control rate was good according to current guidelines. However, patients with higher HbA 1c levels had longer time since diagnosis, worse current health condition, hypertriglyceridemia and were insulin-treated.