Diabetic examination in general practice. Screening of a practice population and a study of occurrence

: In a general practice, a screening examination for diabetes mellitus by measuring blood glucose in capillary blood was performed. A total of 2,843 persons aged 20-80 years were invited, 1,973 (69.4%) participated. At screening, 66 possible cases (BG greater than or equal to 8 mmol/l) were found. Among these, 16 diabetics were found, nine of whom had predisposing conditions. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the examined and known population of the practice was found to be 2.5% and calculated to be 2.2% in the total population of the practice. It was demonstrated that an investigation of this kind can be carried out but felt laborious and interfered with the daily work. Nevertheless, hitherto unknown diabetics were detected and instructed. A method of finding diabetics in general practice is thus described. The method is probably effective, as the prevalence of diabetes mellitus reached the expected, when the known and newly found diabetics were added.