Cardiovascular risk factor control among diabetic patients attending community-based diabetic care clinics in Italy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the extent to which hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are currently detected, treated, and controlled in diabetic patients attending a network of urban community-based diabetic care clinics in Italy.


METHODS
The study population included 1078 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (47% women, mean age 67.6+/-9.8 years) visited at eight diabetic care clinics between 1 and 30 of November 2004. Values of glycosilated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and cholesterol subfractions, as well as clinical and medication data, were prospectively collected in all cases in a computerized database.


RESULTS
Despite a high prevalence of hypertension (66.6%), only 29.6% of patients met the treatment goal of a systolic blood pressure <130 mmHg, while a diastolic blood pressure <80 mmHg was reached by 38.6% of the study cohort. Optimal LDL cholesterol values (<100mg/dl) were present in just 25.5% of cases. Values of glycosilated hemoglobin <7% were present in 57.8% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that adherence to current guidelines for cardiovascular prevention and cardiovascular risk factor control represent an exception in diabetic patients attending community-based diabetic care clinics. Major efforts are required to improve the quality of health care currently delivered to diabetic patients.
Colivicchi
Furio
F
Cardiovascular Department, S. Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy. furcol@rdn.it
Uguccioni
Massimo
M
Ragonese
Mauro
M
Nardozi
Claudio
C
Angotti
Stefania
S
Principe
Francesco
F
Pinto
Sandro Lo
SL
Santini
Massimo
M
D000368:Aged; D049628:Body Size; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors