Diabetes: magnitude of the problem, pathophysiologu, diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

According to the International Diabetes Federation, this disease affected 537 million adults worldwide, while prediabetes (risk of developing T2D) threatened another 541 million in 2021, causing the death of 6.7 million people. During that period, it cost around  966 billion US dollars for control and treatment expenses, an amount that has increased by around 316% in the last 15 years (IDF Diabetes Atlas 2021 10th Edition and other resources). Its magnitude supports the WHO’s accurate prediction  that diabetes and obesity, its frequent associate, would be the pandemic of the 21st century!

Its late diagnosis – quite frequent in our community - facilitates the development and progression of its chronic micro and macroangiopathic complications that markedly reduce the quality and quantity of life of those who suffer from them and significantly increase the cost of their care. This cost results from the accumulation of expenses associated with the production/care of cardiovascular events consecutive to the late diagnosis of diabetes, especially type 2. Also from the low quality of care in which late and inappropriate prescription of insulin stems from tacit agreement by the doctor-patient duo.