[Drug consumption in diabetes mellitus (IV). The utilization of reactive material and systems for assessing blood glucose control from the viewpoint of primary care. The Group for the Study of Diabetes in Tarragona (GEDT)].
BACKGROUND
A study was performed to analyze the use of reactive material in the periodic follow up of diabetes. Likewise, the use of systems to assess glycemic control by primary care physicians was investigated.


METHODS
Analysis of the habits of use of reactive material was performed on the diabetic population of Tarragona (548,900 inhabitants) by randomized survey of prescription in 525 patients attended in 12 primary care centers. The estimation of amount was carried out by a counting of the public prescriptions made. Similarly the periodicity and the results of the applications of glucoproteins in the reference laboratories were studied.


RESULTS
A total of 253 diabetics (48%) were exclusively attended in the centers and 272 (52%) performed some type of home self-analysis; 26 (5%) in urine samples, and 246 (47%) in capillary blood. The estimated mean consumption was of 14 blood sugar strips per patient per month (168 strips/year) and 2.7 glucosuria-glucocetonuria strips (32.4 strips/year). The relative urine/blood ratio was 1/5.2. In 343 cases (65%) some glucoprotein measurement was reported within the last year, 330 (63%) corresponding to glucohemoglobin A1. The mean value was 8.3% (normal: 5-8%). The mean number of applications was 1.6 applications per patient per year.


CONCLUSIONS
An enormous increase was observed in the amount consumed at the province of reactive material in blood and in the measurement of glucoproteins as the system to assess carbohydrate control in diabetes. A significant reduction was found in the use of reactive strips in urine by the diabetic population.
Costa
B
B
Unidad de Diabetes, Hospital de Móra d'Ebre, Servei Català de la Salut, Tarragona.
Huguet
M
M
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011897:Random Allocation; D013030:Spain
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents
Consumo de medicación en la diabetes mellitus (IV). Utilización de material reactivo y sistemas para asesorar el control glucémico desde la atención primaria. El Grup per a l'Estudi de la Diabetis a Tarragona (GEDT).