BackgroundIn United Arab Emirates (UAE), the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus was 19.6% in 1998-2000. Co-morbidity with Hypertension (HT) and Dyslipidemia (DL) increases the probability of cardiovascular complications, and hence the study of the distribution of HT and DL in patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and their control.
MethodSource of data was the records of one private and one government hospital in Northern Emirates, UAE. 294 patients with type-2 DM, who attended the hospitals from September to November, 2009 were included. A checklist was used for collection of data. Relevant data were collected from the records, entered on Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using PASW 17.0 statistics. Proportions and Chi-square tests were used for assessing the co-morbidity of HT and DL, and control of DM with respect to socio-demographic variables.
ResultsOf the total type 2 DM patients, 50.7% were males, 95% married, 76.5% of Middle East origin and only 12.6% were paying patients. The most common (49%) age group was 40-59 years. 8.6% of the type 2 DM patients did not have HT or DL or, 69.6% had DL, 88% had HT, and 66.1% had both. There was a statistically significant (p<0.05) association between age and DL and nationality and DL, but not with HT. Duration of HT and DL were similar to that of type 2 DM.Only 32% had type 2 DM under control. As for control of DL, 60.2% had triglyceride under control, 59.5% LDL and 7.4% HDL. 39.3% had systolic and 52.7% diastolic blood pressure under control.
ConclusionCo-morbidity with HT and DL is found to be high in the patients with type-2 DM. The poor control of all three conditions highlights the importance of all levels of prevention to reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications.